Edom

Edom was south and east of Judah and was an ancient nemesis of God’s people. The country of Edom is also called, “Seir, Hor, and Esau” in the Bible. The land of Edom was about 20-30 miles wide and approximately 100 miles long. One of Edom’s greatest assets was that it was located on the “King’s Highway,” a major trade route that ran from Egypt over to Eilat, in Edom, and then north into Syria. With so many goods traveling through the country the nation of Edom grew very wealthy. The second strength of Edom was its natural fortification from its enemies. The central part of the country was marked by cliffs that are more than 5,000 feet above sea level. Some of you are familiar with Edom, we traveled there when we went to Petra two summers ago. Petra is the ancient city of Sela, the capital of Edom. Those who made the trip will remember that there is only one way into Petra, through a narrow passage, almost a mile long, called a siq. It was said that Petra was impenetrable. The wealth and fortification of the capital city led the inhabitants of Edom to become very prideful and arrogant.

Tension Between Jews and Edomites

Why was there so much animosity between the people of Edom and the Jews? Well, the history of the struggle between the Jews and the Edomites goes way, way back. The tension can be traced to the hearts of two men, Jacob and Esau. You can trace the beginnings of the struggle between the two brothers back to Genesis 25 where Esau came in from the fields starving to death. Jacob had been cooking some stew in the kitchen and Esau wanted something to eat. Jacob, the younger brother, told Esau that he would give him some stew if he would sell him his birthright. Esau, driven by his hunger, sold his birthright to his younger brother.

Years later, when the boy’s father, Isaac, was old and preparing to die, Esau was supposed to get the blessing reserved for the oldest son, but his mother, Rebekah, had other ideas. Rebekah orchestrated a plan to deceive her husband so that he would give the blessing meant for Esau to Jacob. Once Esau found out what had happened he was furious. We read in Genesis 27:41,

41 Esau held a grudge against Jacob because of the blessing his father had given him. He said to himself, “The days of mourning for my father are near; then I will kill my brother Jacob.” (Genesis 27:41 NIV)

Jacob’s mother knew that Esau was planning on killing Jacob so she sent him away to her brother’s house in Haran. Years passed without the brothers ever seeing one another. Jacob and Esau lived their separate lives with Esau settling in the land of Seir, the land of Edom. Evidently, Jacob couldn’t escape the wrong he had done to his brother Esau. The years passed and when we get to Genesis 32, Jacob decided to make things right with his brother. It had been twenty years, twenty long years, but Jacob had to do something to clear his conscience. In Genesis 32:3-5 we read.

3 Jacob sent messengers ahead of him to his brother Esau in the land of Seir, the country of Edom. 4 He instructed them: “This is what you are to say to my master Esau: ‘Your servant Jacob says, I have been staying with Laban and have remained there till now. 5 I have cattle and donkeys, sheep and goats, menservants and maidservants. Now I am sending this message to my lord, that I may find favor in your eyes.’” (Genesis 32:3-5 NIV)

You will want to go back and read the whole story, but let’s cut to the heart of the matter: Jacob was still afraid that his brother would kill him. Esau got the message and he and his men set out to see his brother. In Genesis 33:4 we read,

4 But Esau ran to meet Jacob and embraced him; he threw his arms around his neck and kissed him. And they wept. (Genesis 33:4 NIV)

What a beautiful picture! Oh, what those boys must have missed during the twenty years that they had been alienated from one another. Well, at the end of the meeting Esau went back to Edom and Jacob traveled on to Succoth.

Years later, Jacob had his own family problems. His sons became jealous of their brother Joseph and sold him into slavery. You know the story of God’s hand upon Joseph. He became second in command over all of Egypt and God used him to avoid a national disaster.

In Exodus 1 we read that a new king came to power who did not know the story of Joseph and how God had used him to save the nation. The new king of Egypt made life hard for the Hebrews and they remained as slaves in Egypt for 430 years. God raised up Moses to lead His people out of the land of Egypt and while they were making their way to the Promised Land they came to Edom. Crossing through Edom would have been the shortest route to the Promised Land. God told Moses,

4 Give the people these orders: ‘You are about to pass through the territory of your brothers the descendants of Esau, who live in Seir. They will be afraid of you, but be very careful. 5 Do not provoke them to war, for I will not give you any of their land, not even enough to put your foot on. I have given Esau the hill country of Seir as his own. 6 You are to pay them in silver for the food you eat and the water you drink.’” (Deuteronomy 2:4-6 NIV)

When Moses and the people came to Edom they sent messengers to the king of Edom asking for permission to cross through their country, but the answer was, “No way! If you step foot in our country we will attack you.” (Number 20:14-21) You think there is tension between the Israelis and the Palestinians in our day? Well, tension between people groups goes way, way back. Yet, what I find interesting is God’s instruction to His people before they step foot in the Promised Land. Turn with me to Deuteronomy 23:7.

7 Do not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. Do not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as an alien in his country. (Deuteronomy 23:7 NIV)

“Don’t do it! Don’t give in to your anger. Don’t let animosity take root.” God reminds His people that the Edomites are their “brothers,” they are family. Regardless of God’s counsel, the tension between the Jews and the Edomites continued for hundreds of years. Saul, the first king of Israel, attacked Edom. David conquered Edom. Solomon had a fleet of ships near Elath in Edom. (1 Kings 9:26-28) During the reign of Jehoshaphat the Edomites, Moabites, and Ammonites raided Judah. When Jehoshaphat’s son, Jehoram, took over the throne, the Edomites rebelled and set up their own king. (2 Kings 8:20-22) Amaziah reigned in Judah from 797-768 B.C. He retook Edom and killed 10,000 of its inhabitants. About thirty years later Ahaz was king and Edom raided Judah and took captives. Edom would never serve under Judah’s kings again.

I’ve taken all of this time to let you know the deep, deep rift between the Edomites and the Jews. Now, you have to remember, God said, “Do not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother.” Don’t you know that God was also telling the Edomites, “Do not abhor an Israelite, for he is your brother.” Ten little words. That’s all they had to do was to follow a simple ten word prescription given by God, but because they wouldn’t do it look what happened.

Rather than aligning themselves with “family,” the people of Judah, the Edomites were serving the Assyrians and Babylonians. When the day of destruction was approaching for the people of Jerusalem the people of Edom didn’t come to help them defend themselves. That was the tipping point.

A Message From God

As we come to Obadiah’s prophecy we find a message given to God’s people, the people of Judah. God would restore His people. He was not unaware of what was taking place. In the message to God’s people was also a message for the people of Edom. Let’s take a look at Obadiah 1-4.

1 The vision of Obadiah. This is what the Sovereign LORD says about Edom– We have heard a message from the LORD: An envoy was sent to the nations to say, “Rise, and let us go against her for battle”– 2 “See, I will make you small among the nations; you will be utterly despised. 3 The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, ‘Who can bring me down to the ground?’ 4 Though you soar like the eagle and make your nest among the stars, from there I will bring you down,” declares the LORD. (Obadiah 1-4 NIV)

The people of Edom saw themselves as powerful, untouchable, and rich. Their pride was at an all-time high when the message came to Obadiah. God’s take on the people of Edom was very different than their self-assessment. God said, “The pride of your heart has deceived you…” If you and I become prideful then we are on the fast track of deception and our ruin will come. Dictionary.com defines “pride” as “a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.” Proverbs simply says,

18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. (Proverbs 16:18 NIV)

What was true for the nation of Edom is equally true for individuals. Don’t you remember Nebuchadnezzar who walked on his rooftop and said,

30 …”Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?” (Daniel 4:30 NIV)

Nebuchadnezzar knew where his blessings had come from, he knew that God had blessed him, and yet he was full of pride. The very next verse of Daniel 4 tells us that “while the words were still on his lips a voice came from heaven…” Nebuchadnezzar had it all taken away, he was reduced to living like a wild animal out in the open field, and eventually he came to his senses.

God’s Word says that God does not change. As He dealt with those long ago so He still deals with us today. When we get prideful and arrogant He will bring us down. Let me give you an example.

Bernie Madoff founded the Wall Street firm Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC in 1960, and was its chairman for almost fifty years. During that time his clients called him a genius. They begged him to take their money and invest it. Bernie reaped the benefits of his reputation. He had an $8 million penthouse on East 64th St. in New York, a 5 bedroom, 6,300 square foot waterfront home in Palm Beach valued at $23 million, and another condo in Palm Springs as well. If Bernie and his wife ever wanted to travel abroad then they could stay in their home in France.

Bernie had lots of toys. He had a $2.2 million yacht he named, “Bull,” along with two other boats. He owned half of a $25 million corporate jet. Bernie made millions of dollars every year until he was arrested on December 11, 2008 for scamming 5,000 people who had entrusted him with their money. Bernie Madoff was too big, too smart to ever get caught. Really?

After Bernie was sentenced to 150 years in prison he moved from his 6,300 square foot home into an 8 by 10 foot cell at the Federal Correctional Facility in Butner, North Carolina. The man who made millions of dollars a year was given a job in the prison cafeteria where he walked around with a dustpan and broom sweeping up the dropped food for 14 cents an hour.

Not Just Arrogant, but Evil

It was not just the arrogance and pride of Edom that led to God bringing them down. The Edomites did evil in the eyes of the Lord when their brothers, the people of Judah, were being attacked by their enemies. Let’s read together from Obadiah 10-14.

10 Because of the violence against your brother Jacob, you will be covered with shame; you will be destroyed forever. 11 On the day you stood aloof while strangers carried off his wealth and foreigners entered his gates and cast lots for Jerusalem, you were like one of them. 12 You should not look down on your brother in the day of his misfortune, nor rejoice over the people of Judah in the day of their destruction, nor boast so much in the day of their trouble. 13 You should not march through the gates of my people in the day of their disaster, nor look down on them in their calamity in the day of their disaster, nor seize their wealth in the day of their disaster. 14 You should not wait at the crossroads to cut down their fugitives, nor hand over their survivors in the day of their trouble. (Obadiah 10-14 NIV)

There were actually four invasions of Jerusalem that took place during biblical times, but it is impossible to know which of the four Obadiah is referring to in this section of Scripture. Two of the invasions can be ruled out because Edom was not part of them, but there are still two others that are possibilities. Jerusalem was attacked by the Philistines and Arabs in about 850 B.C. They attacked Judah and carried off all of the items from king Jehoram’s palace along with his wives and all of us his children except for one, Ahaziah, the baby of the family. Secondly, Jerusalem was utterly destroyed by the Babylonians in 587-586 B.C. The case can be made for either of these horrible experiences. What is interesting is that if it was the earlier attack that is referred to in Obadiah then the evil actions of the Edomites were repeated about three hundred years later during the absolute destruction of Jerusalem. What we need to focus on is the utter evil of the Edomites during their brother’s disaster.

If you go back and read Obadiah 10-14 you can see a progression in the evil of their actions. In verse 11 we are told that Edom “stood aloof,” they didn’t lead the charges against their brother, but they stood in the distance and watched the destruction take place. In verse 12 we are told that they “looked down on their brother in the day of his misfortune.” In the second half of verse 12 we are told that they “rejoiced over” and “boasted” much in their brother’s trouble. James Montgomery Boice writes,

Up to this point all steps in this abhorrent growth of unbrotherliness have been attitudes, or at least actions of a negative sort. The Edomites stood aloof in the day of Jerusalem’s trouble. This led them to look down on the their brothers, rejoice in their misfortune, and ultimately boast that they were stronger, wiser, and superior to those who had fallen. This particular sin cannot be confined to attitudes, however. What we think inevitably issues in actions, and this is what we find… (James Montgomery Boice, The Minor Prophets: Volume 1. Baker Books. pg. 249)

Dr. Boice’s comments really struck at my heart this week. I want you to think about something with me for a minute. Let’s say there is somebody that has done you wrong and you and I both know that even though they may have done wrong we are not to return the favor. You find yourself lying in bed at night and they come to mind. You think about what they did, what they said, and you get angrier as your mind begins to race. You remind yourself that God says “Vengeance is mine,” but you continue to harbor feelings and thoughts about your enemy. Then one day you are out on the town and somebody, out of the blue, tells you about a rumor they heard about the very person who did you wrong. You join in and the dirt begins to fly. Months later the rumors you had been told prove to be true and the one who did you wrong is now being paraded on the front page of the morning paper for his crime. As you gaze at his picture you feel a sense of justice and satisfaction knowing that he got his. You think to yourself, “I hope he never sees daylight again.” You gloat over his misfortune, but what good does it really do? Don’t do it. Don’t give in to the anger and animosity that does nothing but destroy your own soul. Thoughts harbored and nurtured eventually become actions that will destroy. James puts it this way.

13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:13-15 NIV)

Did you notice the progression that James describes for us? Desire leads to action and action, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death.

The Edomites stood aloof, then they looked down on their brothers, then they boasted over their troubles, but that wasn’t the end of it. In verse 13, they marched through the broken down gates in the midst of disaster and looked down on their brothers while they took what was left after the enemy looted their city. If that were not bad enough, in verse 14, we find them waiting outside the city to capture those who had escaped so that they might hand them over to the enemy.

In Genesis 4:9, after Cain had killed his brother Abel, God stepped into the scene of the crime and asked Cain, “Where’s your brother?” Cain said, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The answer to that question for Cain, the answer for the descendants of Esau, and the answer for you and me today is, “Absolutely you are!” We absolutely are our brothers and sisters keepers.”

We live in an amazingly confusing day. We are called The United States of America, but there are so many divisions in our land. We are divided in so many ways. There are racial divisions, socio-economic divisions, and religious divisions. There are sophisticates and rednecks, fat folks and skinny folks, bikers and skaters, lovers and haters, corporate suits and levis with cowboy boots. And all of them have opinions about one another. There are the good lookers whose worth is in the mirror, the well-heeled whose worth is in the bank, the popular whose worth is in the approval of the crowd, and everyone else who are trying to figure out if they are worth anything at all. All of these divisions are used as ladders and walls to separate us and try and elevate us above one another.

We look down on one another, we stand at a distance from one another, and if it will benefit us, we will take advantage of one another. Where is the Good Samaritan today? Where is the person who is willing to help someone who is hurting or being taken advantage of even if there is nothing to be gained personally? Where is the person who is willing to treat others as a child of God regardless of what they have or don’t have going for them?

We have many teachers in our church and you teachers see it all the time in the classroom. If a kid isn’t smart or good looking or a good athlete then those around them treat them like they are less than human. If someone is socially awkward or marches to the beat of a different drummer then they are shunned by others. If someone takes advantage of them then other kids stand aloof, just like the Edomites. The bullies laugh and mock and belittle and berate as if they are somehow better than the kid who is being crushed under the weight of ridicule and mockery. There is another group of folks who are not nearly as mean and brash, but they are just as evil because they stand and watch it all take place and say, “Boy, I’m glad that’s not me” instead of doing something about it.

I’m describing a situation that we are all familiar with, but you know as well as I do that what takes place in school is perfected by adults in society. For the general population of folks it might be enough if their family is ok and everything is going well for them, but for God’s people that is not enough. We are our brother’s keeper! We are our sister’s keeper!

When there are those who are being taken advantage of we are to stand up, we are to speak out, we are to get involved. I know some kids from this community who are now playing professional sports. One of those guys didn’t grow up here in this neighborhood, but he benefitted from the ACT program here at our church. Since he has been playing in the NFL he has gotten involved with what we are doing here in this community. He has donated money, he has given his time to come and hang out with the kids, he has provided scholarships for our boys to attend his football camp, he has bought Thanksgiving baskets for families in our church, and just recently he has provided back packs for all the kids in the Middle School Learning Center. You see, for Reggie Smith, it is not enough for him to make it; they need to have opportunities to make it as well.

We cannot stand at a distance simply because we have convinced ourselves that it doesn’t affect us. We are our brother’s keeper. We are not to take delight in the hardships that others encounter in life. We are not to take advantage of someone just because it might benefit us. If we think we can turn a blind eye to what is going on around us and that the Omniscient eyes of the Father won’t see then we are only kidding ourselves. He sees.

In Genesis 16, we find Sarah still had not become pregnant even though God promised Sarah and Abraham a child. Because of Sarah’s lack of patience she tells Abraham to sleep with her servant Hagar. Once Sarah finds out that Hagar is pregnant she begins to mistreat her. Hagar flees the camp and while she is on the run the Lord finds her sitting by a spring in the desert. She’s pregnant, all alone, unwanted, and unnoticed, but God saw Hagar. In verse 13 she says, “You are the God who sees me.”

Just five chapters later in Genesis, Hagar had given birth to Ishmael and Sarah told Abraham to get rid of the slave woman and her son. Abraham did as he was told. Hagar and Ishmael left the family and made their way out into the desert. Where were they going? She didn’t have a clue. What was she going to do? She had no idea. Eventually she ran out of water and she couldn’t bear to watch her son die. In Genesis 21:15-18 we read,

15 When the water in the skin was gone, she put the boy under one of the bushes. 16 Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, “I cannot watch the boy die.” And as she sat there nearby, she began to sob. 17 God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, “What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. 18 Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.” (Genesis 21:15-18 NIV)

God sees. He acts. He wants us to follow in His steps. Don’t stand by and watch those around you struggle and suffer alone. Don’t stand at a distance when others are suffering injustice. Stand up and speak out. Get involved and let them know that you see and you care enough to go out of your way to try and help.

For those of you who are at this moment struggling and feel all alone. Please hear me…you are not alone. God sees your suffering, he knows about your struggle, and He is working in your life to use your struggles to mold you and make you into the man or woman He desires for you to be. He is with you in your struggle and He will deliver you if you will keep trusting in Him, crying out to Him. Seek Him with all of your heart.

Mike Hays
Britton Christian Church
922 NW 91st
OKC, OK. 73114
August 29, 2010
bccpreacherman@aol.com

There are differences of opinion as to when God raised Joel up to speak to the people of Judah. Some believe that Joel was a contemporary of Hosea and Amos. This is why Joel is placed between these two prophets in our Bible. Others believe that Joel prophesied later, after the fall of the Southern Kingdom. The timeframe of when Joel’s prophesy was delivered is not nearly as important as are the events that brought about Joel’s prophesy and the message that God had for His people following the devastation—prepare for the Day of the Lord.

There is no question about what had happened in Judah—the land had been devastated and the devastation had affected everyone living in Judah. Let’s take a look at the opening verses of Joel and then we will dig in and see what we can learn. Read along with me from Joel 1:1-7.

1 The word of the LORD that came to Joel son of Pethuel. 2 Hear this, you elders; listen, all who live in the land. Has anything like this ever happened in your days or in the days of your forefathers? 3 Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to their children, and their children to the next generation. 4 What the locust swarm has left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts have left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten. 5 Wake up, you drunkards, and weep! Wail, all you drinkers of wine; wail because of the new wine, for it has been snatched from your lips. 6 A nation has invaded my land, powerful and without number; it has the teeth of a lion, the fangs of a lioness. 7 It has laid waste my vines and ruined my fig trees. It has stripped off their bark and thrown it away, leaving their branches white. (Joel 1:1-7 NIV)

Joel steps onto the scene after the devastation. Locusts have invaded the nation and nothing is left. “What the locust swarm have left the great locusts have eaten; what the great locusts left the young locusts have eaten; what the young locusts have left other locusts have eaten.” I need to let you know that through the years there have been many Bible teachers who have said that Joel used allegory to describe the invaders of Judah. In their opinion, it wasn’t really locusts that wreaked such destruction, but it was probably an invading army. Some doubt that locusts can do the kind of damage described by Joel? Well, I would have to differ. This past week I dug a little deeper to see if there are any instances of locust swarms doing damage similar to this outside of the plague of locusts in Exodus, when God sent a swarm of locusts upon the Egyptians.

I Googled, “plague of locusts” and found an article from the online version of Time magazine by Marina Kamenev dated August 9, 2010. Her article is entitled, The Perfect Swarm: Locusts Threaten Eastern Australia. Listen to what she wrote,

As early as mid-August, eastern Australia may be hit with the biggest locust plague in more than 30 years. Without intervention, there could be more than $1.8 billion worth of damage to pastures, cereal crops and forage crops. Chris Adriaansen, the director of the Australian Plague Locust Commission, said that 5 million hectares of land could be affected…

The locusts have already chewed through some farmland. Heavy rainfall during the Australian summer led to higher numbers of the insects. Those that hatched in autumn managed to destroy 35,000 hectares of wheat and barley crops in Forbes Shire in central-west New South Wales. Graham Falconer, deputy mayor of Forbes, calculates $36.7 million worth of damage. Falconer believes that Australia wasn’t prepared for the locusts in March and is even more worried about what will happen in August. “It’s like a war,” he says. “If we don’t win it, we lose billions of dollars in crop.” …Falconer says… “If you are driving along the road, it’s like constantly being hit with hail. They are everywhere, when you are walking on the ground there are 40 or 50 in every square foot.” For now, all that Australia’s farmers can do is hope that preparation is adequate, that the locusts won’t be as nightmarish as a decade of drought. (Read more: http://tiny.cc/xaikw)

This article is from less than two weeks ago. Swarms of locusts continue to do their damage all across the world. The effects of swarms of locusts have been felt worldwide throughout history. Our own country has been affected. The worst recorded plague of locusts in our country’s history dates from 1874-1875 when billions of locusts moved through Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska and Western Missouri. Listen to these descriptions.

They came in swarms, they came by the millions, they came in legions, they came by the mile, and they darkened the heavens in their flight, or blackened the earth’s surface, where in myriads they sought their daily meal. Henry County was visited from about the first week of May, and remained until the 1st of June, 1875, and during that time, every spear of wheat, oats, flax and corn were eaten close to the ground. Potatoes and all vegetables received the same treatment, and on the line of their march, ruin stared the farmer in the face, and starvation knocked loudly at his door.” (The History of Henry and St. Clair County, Missouri. 1883, National Historical Company, St. Joseph, Missouri.)

I can’t remember any time, during my lifetime, when I have experienced a plague of locusts. Because I haven’t experienced such, it is easy for me to conclude that it just couldn’t happen. I mean, after all, we are talking about insects. What real damage can they do right? I share this with you for an important reason. We have a problem that impedes our understanding of God’s Word. Our problem is this: If we have not experienced “it” then surely it couldn’t happen. This arrogant mentality leads us to easily dismiss God’s Word when it doesn’t fit our particular point of reference. I hope that what I’ve just shared with you will be etched on your heart and mind so that we will never be guilty of this misstep.

Let’s get back to our lesson for this morning. There are really two lessons that I want to highlight for us this morning. First, I want us to learn about the Day of the Lord. What is it? When does it take place? How can we prepare for the Day? The Second lesson is God’s redeeming love shown through Joel’s message. Let’s begin.

The “Day of the Lord” is the theme of Joel’s message. The phrase is found in Joel 1:15; 2:1; 2:11; 2:31; and 3:14. On a larger scale we can find the phrase the “Day of the Lord’ nineteen times, used by eight different writers, throughout the Old Testament. In the New Testament we find the Day of the Lord used five times (Acts 2:20; 1 Corinthians 5:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:2; 2 Thessalonians 2:2; 2 Peter 3:10.) What is the Day of the Lord? Jeff Miller is the Pastor of Trinity Bible Church in Dallas, Texas. He has this to say about the Day of the Lord.

In many of the prophetic texts addressing the Day of the Lord, it is clear that the Day can be a time of unprecedented destruction or of overwhelming blessing contingent on one’s obedience to Yahweh. According to Obadiah, it is upon those who treat others unfairly that destruction will come. In Isaiah, judgment falls on the proud one. In Amos, however, the Day of the Lord is to be longed for by the righteous, though there will be great darkness for the wicked. The message of the Day of the Lord, then, is that it’s coming is inevitable. Its harshness, though, is directly related to our disobedience to Yahweh: The greater the disobedience, the greater the destruction; the greater the righteousness, the greater the blessing. (Miller, Jeff. The Day of the Lord. http://bible.org/article/day-lord.)

In The MacArthur Study Bible, Dr. John MacArthur writes about the Day of the Lord in his introduction to the book of Joel. Dr. MacArthur writes,

The Day of the Lord is frequently associated with seismic disturbances (e.g., Joel 2:1-11; 2:31; 3:16), violent weather (Ezekiel 13:5ff.), clouds and thick darkness (e.g., Joel 2:2; Zephaniah 1:7ff.), cosmic upheaval (Joel 2:3, 30), and as a ‘great and very terrible’ (Joel 2:11 day that would ‘come as destruction from the Almighty’ (Joel 1:15). The latter half of Joel depicts time subsequent to the Day of the Lord in terms of promise and hope. There will be a pouring out of the Spirit on all flesh, accompanied by prophetic utterances, dreams, visions (Joel 2:28-29), as well as the coming of Elijah, an epiphany bringing restoration and hope (Malachi 4:5-6). As a result of the Day of the Lord there will be physical blessings, fruitfulness, and prosperity (Joel 2:21ff, 3:16-21). It is a day when judgment is poured out on sinners that subsequently leads to blessings on the penitent, and reaffirmation of God’s covenant with His people. (MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible. pg. 1267-1268.)

The Day of the Lord is used to describe God’s judgment in the present time and also His future judgments which will culminate in the final Day of the Lord. For the prophets of the Old Testament, the Day of the Lord would be a final judgment, but it was also near, it was at hand, it was coming whenever God came to judge the people for their disobedience.

The Day of the Lord is not confined to an invading army like the Babylonians who overthrew Jerusalem and sent the Southern Kingdom into exile in 587-586 B.C. What had happened in Joel’s day was a visitation of the Lord. Joel used the plague of locusts in Joel 1 to warn the people of an even greater plague that was coming their way if they did not turn to the Lord. In Joel 2 we read,

1 Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand– 2 a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come. 3 Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste– nothing escapes them. 4 They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry. 5 With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle. 6 At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns pale. 7 They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course. 8 They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defenses without breaking ranks. 9 They rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows. 10 Before them the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine. 11 The LORD thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command. The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it? (Joel 2:1-11 NIV)

This causes a lot of people, even many of the followers of Jesus, great problems today. The problem arises from the fact that we do not know the God of the Bible, we know a God that we have fashioned by our own ideals of what we think God should be and how God should behave. We serve an “Americanized,” romanticized God, not the Eternal, Omniscient, Omnipotent, Holy and Sovereign God who has revealed Himself through His Word. Let me give you an example of what I am talking about. Whenever tragedy or trials come our way in any form, most of us head off into one of two directions: First, some of us immediately separate God from the experience. Remember 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina? Person after person said, “God didn’t have anything to do with what took place on that day!” There is another popular response to hardships and it goes like this: “Why would God do this to me?” It is not so much a question as it is an indictment of the unfairness of God. The question, “Why would God do this to me?” is not the same as “Lord, what are you teaching me through this?” Joel would have a very difficult time understanding this train of thought. In Joel 2:11, he makes it clear that the Lord is leading the swarm, He is leading His charges. Read along with me.

11 The LORD thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command. (Joel 2:11 NIV)

The prophet Isaiah would also have trouble understanding why we dismiss God when trouble comes and why we blame God rather than seek God in the midst of our trials and troubles. In Isaiah 45:5-7, God made it very clear that He is Sovereign over everything in your life and mine. He is Sovereign over every aspect of life including nature. Read along with me.

5 I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, 6 so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting men may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. 7 I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the LORD, do all these things. (Isaiah 45:5-7 NIV)

If God is not intimately involved in every detail of life then what are our options? Mere chance? That is certainly the solution for some. God’s Word never mentions “chance” as governing the affairs of our lives. It is impossible, absolutely impossible, to believe in chance and at the same time believe in the Sovereignty of God. For others who find the Sovereignty of God unacceptable, they still find other things to believe in.

Dr. James Lovelock is the author of Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth. Dr. Lovelock received his Ph.D. in 1948. He is a scientist who has conducted research at both Harvard and Yale. Dr. Lovelock developed the Gaia Hypothesis which means that both living and non-living parts of the earth comprise a unified organism. Gaia is basically what some call, “Mother Earth.” Listen to this.

The recent upsurge in volcanic action, earthquakes and unusual weather patterns may well be messages from Gaia, calling us to pay attention to her needs. If we continue to ignore her communications, there may be even harsher outbursts as Gaia is forced to take more drastic action to regain balance. Our survival may depend our listening to her and responding to her needs.

For Dr. Lovelock, and many radical “Green” folks today, the earth is our Mother and we need to listen to her when natural disasters strike. You can go ahead and listen, but I think I’ll turn my ear to the One who can answer.

That leads me to our next lesson: How should we respond when tragedy and trials come our way? We can find an answer in Joel. In Joel 1, after the land had been decimated, we read,

13 Put on sackcloth, O priests, and mourn; wail, you who minister before the altar. Come, spend the night in sackcloth, you who minister before my God; for the grain offerings and drink offerings are withheld from the house of your God. 14 Declare a holy fast; call a sacred assembly. Summon the elders and all who live in the land to the house of the LORD your God, and cry out to the LORD. (Joel 1:13-14 NIV)

We are to turn to God. It’s pretty clear isn’t it? The Lord calls the leaders to come together and mourn, fast, and call a sacred assembly of the elders, the leaders of the people. When tragedy strikes, when God comes in judgment, the leaders are to lead the nation in seeking God. We can see the next step in Joel 2. Read along with me beginning in Joel 2:12.

12 “Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” 13 Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity… 16 Gather the people, consecrate the assembly; bring together the elders, gather the children, those nursing at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room and the bride her chamber. (Joel 2:12-13; 16 NIV)

Did you notice it? It’s not just the leaders who are called to come together, but everyone, even the nursing babies, are to gather with the rest of the community. It is a “sacred assembly” which means that everything else is to stop. Doesn’t matter how important it is, we are to stop what we are doing and consider what has happened as we cry out to the Lord.

In Joel 3 we find the teaching of the Day of the Lord pointing towards the final Judgment, THE Day of the Lord. It was mentioned earlier that the Day of the Lord is both a terrible day for those who are not walking with the Lord and a day of blessing for those who find their strength and refuge in God alone. Read along with me from Joel 3:13-17.

13 Swing the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, trample the grapes, for the winepress is full and the vats overflow– so great is their wickedness!” 14 Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. 15 The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars no longer shine. 16 The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel. 17 “Then you will know that I, the LORD your God, dwell in Zion, my holy hill. Jerusalem will be holy; never again will foreigners invade her. (Joel 3:13-17 NIV)

When the final Day of the Lord comes there will be no opportunity to repent and turn around, no more opportunity to turn from our ways and begin to walk in the ways of the Lord, no more opportunities. Throughout history, whenever the Day of the Lord comes, it comes as an opportunity for us to recognize our waywardness, recognize our need for God, and turn back into His arms of grace and mercy. There is a great illustration of this found in the prophet Amos. God sent tough situations into the lives of His people, but those trials came with a purpose. See if you can recognize the purpose of the trials they endured.

6 “I gave you empty stomachs in every city and lack of bread in every town, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the LORD. 7 “I also withheld rain from you when the harvest was still three months away. I sent rain on one town, but withheld it from another. One field had rain; another had none and dried up. 8 People staggered from town to town for water but did not get enough to drink, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the LORD. 9 “Many times I struck your gardens and vineyards, I struck them with blight and mildew. Locusts devoured your fig and olive trees, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the LORD. 10 “I sent plagues among you as I did to Egypt. I killed your young men with the sword, along with your captured horses. I filled your nostrils with the stench of your camps, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the LORD. 11 “I overthrew some of you as I overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. You were like a burning stick snatched from the fire, yet you have not returned to me,” declares the LORD. 12 “Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel, and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel.” 13 He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth– the LORD God Almighty is his name. (Amos 4:6-13 NIV)

What was the purpose of each of the troubles the Israelites encountered? It was to return to the Lord wasn’t it? Over and over again the Lord brought hardships to try and wake His people up, turn them from their ways, and help them realize that they need to turn to Him. Did it work? Most of the time it did not, but if you read Joel then you will see that sometimes God’s people did listen. In Joel 2:18-3:21 we read, not about the judgment of God’s people, but about the restoration that God brought to His people. In Joel 2:18-27 we read that God will restore His people’s material lives in the immediate future. He is going to replenish their vineyards, orchards, fields, and flocks. This time they considered what had taken place and they turned to the Lord, but sad to say, most of the time God’s people did not turn back to God.

We see the same result in the lives of the Ninevites when Jonah delivered his message of the soon coming destruction that God would visit on them if they did not turn around. The Ninevites fasted and put on sack cloth, they turned from their ways, and they sought the Lord. Sad to say, most of the time God’s people didn’t get it, after the initial sting of the tragedy died down they would dismiss the thought that God had anything to do with it.

Are we any different? Remember 9/11 when baseball and football stadiums became sanctuaries for the masses who gathered? Remember when the Murrah Bombing took place and the Fairgrounds Arena was filled to overflowing as Billy Graham and President Clinton led the worship service? What happened? Where did the desire to seek God go?

Oh my friend, I don’t know what will come of our nation when the Day of the Lord visits us next, but I know that you and I don’t have to wait for that day. We can see Him even now, right here in this sanctuary. I would urge you this morning to turn to the Lord. I’m not talking about simply going to church, but I’m talking about really getting to know Him. See His hand at work in your life. When troubles come use those troubles as opportunities to cry out to Him, fall into His arms, and consider what it is that He desires to show you. Don’t turn a blind eye to God when the day of trouble or sorrow comes knocking. Don’t lash out and say, “Why is God doing this to me!” Instead, cry out to Him, turn to Him, and consider what it is that God desires to do in your life through your troubles. Won’t you turn to Him even now by inviting Jesus into your heart?

Mike Hays
Britton Christian Church
922 NW 91st
OKC, OK. 73114
August 22, 2010
bccpreacherman@aol.com

As I read through the last twelve books of the Old Testament I found myself stopping with each one and saying, “This is the one. This is the next book that we are going to study in morning worship.” Well, needless to say, we aren’t going to study all twelve of the Minor Prophets in depth. Eventually we will take a longer look at the prophet Amos, but before we get to Amos, I want us to take each of the eleven remaining Minor Prophets and try to hit the highpoint of each prophet’s message so that we might see what we can learn. I hope you will join me for the next eleven weeks as we study the messages of these bold men of God.

Our very first study will surely challenge some of you who have been taught that the God of the Old Testament is a “God of wrath” while the God of the New Testament is a “God of love and forgiveness.” There is no more beautiful picture of the love, compassion, and mercy of God than what we will find in this book.

Others of you who believe that God is purely logical and rational will be challenged as well. Let me give you a few examples of what I am talking about. Throughout history God has called His people to do some strange things. He called Moses through a burning bush and then later told Moses to stand at the edge of the Red Sea and hold up his staff so that the waters would part. You think that is strange? I’m just getting started. Try these on for size…

• God told Ezekiel to lay on his left side for 390 days and on his right side for 40 more days to represent the number of years Israel and Judah would be punished. (Ezekiel 4:4-7)
• God called Jeremiah to make a yoke, the kind worn by oxen as they plowed a field together, and then put it on his own neck. Jeremiah wore the yoke to illustrate to the people of God that things were going to get even worse for them because of their disobedience. (Jeremiah 27:1-2)
• In Isaiah 20, God told Isaiah to walk around naked for three years. Isaiah’s nakedness was a sign of the terrible troubles that God was going to bring on Egypt and Ethiopia, or the Cushites. It also served as a warning to King Hezekiah of what could happen to the people of Judah as well.

I don’t think it would be a stretch to say that if, when you walked into church this morning, I was strolling down the aisles naked you would think I had lost my mind. Don’t you know the people who saw Isaiah walking around in his birthday suit must have thought the same thing? I’ve heard of lots of church growth ideas through the years, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard of anyone who has tried this one. Can’t say I would recommend it either.

Well, in our study for this morning we find God giving His prophet, Hosea, some strange marching orders as well. As you begin reading Hosea you immediately run into Hosea’s predicament. Read along with me from Hosea 1:2-3.

2 When the LORD began to speak through Hosea, the LORD said to him, “Go, take to yourself an adulterous wife and children of unfaithfulness, because the land is guilty of the vilest adultery in departing from the LORD.” 3 So he married Gomer daughter of Diblaim, and she conceived and bore him a son. (Hosea 1:2-3 NIV)

That’s quite an introduction isn’t it? Hosea doesn’t tell us much about himself because the focal point of the story is not so much Hosea and Gomer as it is God and His people. Before we get to that I want to give us some background as to what was going on at the time that Hosea was called by God to speak to the nation.
We can get an idea of about when Hosea’s ministry took place by reading Hosea 1:1. Read along with me.

1 The word of the LORD that came to Hosea son of Beeri during the reigns of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and during the reign of Jeroboam son of Jehoash king of Israel: (Hosea 1:1 NIV)

The United Kingdom of Israel was no more—the nation was divided in two with Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Hosea tells us that he began to prophecy when Jeroboam, the son of Jehoash, that would be Jeroboam II, was king of Israel. Jeroboam II reigned as king over Israel from 793-753 B.C. That’s 41 years (2 Kings 14:23-29). It was a long period of stability, expansion, and prosperity for the nation. Under Jeroboam II the nation expanded its borders and surrounding nations paid tribute to the powerful Israel. Prosperity came rushing in like floodwaters.

Many believe that Hosea came to be a prophet to Israel about 760 B.C.—less than ten years before Jeroboam II died. Hosea served as prophet for almost forty years, until just before the nation was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 B.C.

When Hosea stepped onto the scene during the final decade of Jeroboam II reign, nobody paid him any attention. Happy days were being experienced by the upper crust of the Israelites. Money was plentiful, Israel had become the “big man on campus” to all of her former enemies, and arrogance and extravagance ruled the day.

There was something else going on in the nation as well. Something that God was acutely aware of, but that the people didn’t give any thought to. The people had turned away from God. It was this turning away that caused God to send His messengers to His people to urge them to turn back. Dr. Richard Strauss, in his sermon, Undying Love—The Story of Hosea and Gomer, writes,

As is often the case, with prosperity came moral and spiritual degeneration. Secularism and materialism captured the hearts of the people and sin ran rampant. The list reads like twentieth-century America: swearing, lying, killing, stealing, adultery, drunkenness, perversion, perjury, deceit, and oppression, to name but a few. But the thing that grieved the heart of God more than anything else was the sin of idolatry (Hos. 4:12, 13; 13:2). The golden calves set up by Jeroboam I about 150 years earlier had opened the floodgates to every evil expression of Canaanite idolatry, including drunkenness, religious prostitution and human sacrifice. (Richard Strauss, Undying Love—The Story of Hosea and Gomer. http://alturl.com/3hat3)

Hosea was told to take an adulterous wife as a real life example of what God’s people had done in their relationship with Him. This is made clear from our reading of Hosea 1:2-3. We read in verse 3 that after Hosea married Gomer she “conceived and bore him a child.” Gomer has two additional children, but there is no hint that these two kids were fathered by Hosea. God instructs Hosea to name the children. The first was named, “Jezreel,” which means, “scattered.” It was a clear sign of judgment for the people of God. Hosea was prophesying in the years just before the mighty, powerful nation of Judah would fall in 722 B.C. The second child, a daughter, was to be named, “Lo-Ruhamah,” which means, “not loved” or “not pitied.” When the time of judgment came God would have no pity on His people. The third child, a second son, was to be named, “Lo-Ammi,” which means, “not my people.” There is no indication that the second and third children born to Gomer were fathered by Hosea.

Things went from bad to worse for Hosea. Gomer didn’t have a change of heart after the birth of her children. She didn’t come to her senses, repent of her sin, and ask for Hosea’s forgiveness. As a matter of fact, she did just the opposite. In Hosea 2:5 we read,

5 Their mother is a shameless prostitute and became pregnant in a shameful way. She said, ‘I’ll run after other lovers and sell myself to them for food and water, for clothing of wool and linen, and for olive oil and drinks.’ (Hosea 2:5 NLT)

Can you imagine how devastating it must have been to Hosea? Sure God called him to marry an adulterous woman, but that wouldn’t have diminished the pain and agony of Hosea’s heart in the least. Just think about the difficult times that you have been through in life. God may have given you insight so that you knew that He was leading you through the storm, but did that make it enjoyable or somehow shield you from the pain of the experience? I don’t think so.

God is not giving Gomer a pass for her behavior. In Hosea 2 we read that she will be punished for what she is doing, for her adultery. God says,

13 I will punish her for all those times when she burned incense to her images of Baal, when she put on her earrings and jewels and went out to look for her lovers but forgot all about me,” says the LORD. 14 “But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there. (Hosea 2:13-14 NLT)

There’s a great lesson for you and me right here if we will only have ears to hear. God is going to punish Gomer, He is going to discipline her for her ungodly behavior, but the punishment is not intended to destroy her, it is meant to draw her back into His arms.

When we come to Hosea 3 we find Gomer in a bad shape. Evidently she has in fact been sold as a slave. There were reasons in the ancient world why a person was sold as a slave. One of the reasons was because of military conquest. When the conquering army captured a city they took some of its citizens as slaves. Another reason a person became a slave was by birth. You were born into a slave family and so you became a slave as well. Thirdly, you could be sold as a slave because of debt. Well, we know that Gomer wasn’t on the auction block because of her birth or because of conquest. We don’t know exactly why Gomer was sold into slavery, but Dr. James Montgomery Boice, in his commentary on Hosea, gives us some insight into what the actual auctioning process looked like when he writes,

There is a Greek play in which a fat man is put up for sale. The bids are starting, and the men who are buying bid: ‘Ten cents!’ ‘Fifteen cents!’ ‘Twenty cents!’ They begin to joke with one another. One man says, ‘Why do you bid twenty cents for that fat slave? As soon as he gets in your house he’s going to eat up all your food.’ The man who bid twenty cents justifies his bid, saying, ‘You don’t understand. I’ve got a squeaky mill; I’m going to cut him up and use him for grease.’ At last a beautiful woman is put up for sale. Her clothes are taken off, and now the bidding is not ‘Ten cents…twenty cents.’ It is: ‘A hundred dollars…a hundred and twenty dollars!’ The men are bidding for the body of the female slave. (James Montgomery Boice, The Minor Prophets: Volume 1. Baker Books. pg. 34-35.)

The slave market was dehumanizing. The slave market was ungodly. The slave market was filled with the stench of sin. God calls Gomer’s husband to go to the slave market and buy back his unfaithful wife. In Hosea 3:1-3 we read,

1 The LORD said to me, “Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes.” 2 So I bought her for fifteen shekels of silver and about a homer and a lethek of barley. 3 Then I told her, “You are to live with me many days; you must not be a prostitute or be intimate with any man, and I will live with you.” (Hosea 3:1-3 NIV)

I want you to visualize something with me just for a moment. Close your eyes and see the slave market before you. Men, women, boys, and girls on the auction block—stripped not only of their clothes, but their dignity and humanity. These are people created in the image of God and yet they are being sold as slaves. Some, like Gomer, have made some really bad decisions that have led them to the auction block. Others simply because of their birth find themselves being sold like a bushel of wheat or barley. Those who are doing the buying make snide remarks, sexually explicit remarks, and there in their midst is the husband of the woman who is standing naked before the crowd. Hosea has to listen to all that is being said. Gomer is not a sex object to Hosea; she is his wife, the mother of his child, and the hammer that has broken his heart. God said, “Love her as the LORD loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods…” Hosea begins to bid and he won’t stop until he wins her back no matter how much it costs him. Finally the auctioneer cries out, “Sold! Fifteen pieces of silver and a bushel and a half of barley.” Hosea goes to Gomer, helps her get dressed, and walks with her through the crowd as they make their way home.

I have to tell you something. Hosea was the first book that I read while I was on my sabbatical. I’d read it before, but as I read it again I really read it. I stopped. I saw Hosea in the marketplace watching his bride stripped naked before they led her out before the ungodly men who whistled, “oohed and ahhed,” and make comments as she was brought out onto the auction block. I thought about my own wedding day and the hopes and dreams I had for Connie and me as we exchanged our vows. Doesn’t every groom have those same hopes and dreams for himself and his bride? Surely Hosea wanted the same things even though it wouldn’t be possible. God had told him to marry an adulterous woman, but I don’t think Hosea had any idea of the heartache that would follow.

Broken, humiliated, shattered, and spurned Hosea went to the marketplace and he redeemed his bride. Is that the way God loves? You better believe it is! We have each and every one of us turned away from the Father and sold ourselves to another. For some of us we are like Gomer. We’ve sought to fill our emptiness with the love of another only to find out that we’ve been used and not loved. Others have tried to find fulfillment in the marketplace by acquiring power and prominence and prestige. Making a name for ourselves isn’t the same as finding fulfillment in life. Others have tried to form alliances with powerful people around them instead of aligning themselves with the Father’s will and trusting in His plan. I could go on and on with scenarios, but the end result is always the same.

I need to tell you that you may have abandoned God, but He has not abandoned you. He has searched you out. He has made His way to the marketplace, to the place where you’ve been stripped naked in more ways than one, and He has come to take you home, to buy you back, to redeem you my friend.

Once we get past Hosea 3 we don’t hear any more about Gomer and Hosea. The attention turns to God and His “wife,” Israel. It is a sordid tale. The nation was thriving militarily and economically, but it was rotting from the inside out because of its dismissal of God and its “adultery” with idolatry. There is a very telling verse in Hosea 4:6. The NIV, NAS, and most other translations say, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge…” This really doesn’t tell the whole story because the truth is that the nation is teetering on the verge of collapse because of a lack of a specific kind of knowledge. That is why I like the New Living Translation of this verse so much. It says,

6 My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. (Hosea 4:6 NLT)

Oh, how they have forgotten! Oh, how we so easily forget. Who was it that had blessed Israel? Who was it that had “purchased” a group of slaves from the Egyptians and set them up in a land all their own? Who was it that had provided for them at every turn? That was back then. Back before prosperity had captured the minds and turned the hearts, back before Israel was a military power, back when they knew they were weak and poor, and if God didn’t provide in every respect they would be doomed.

When Hosea stepped on to the scene things had changed. The people no longer saw themselves as weak, they certainly weren’t poor, and they were occupied with their extravagance and indulgent lifestyles. They had forgotten God.

In Hosea 11, we have one of the most beautiful and heart-wrenching chapters in the whole Bible. Listen to the Lord describe His relationship with His people.

1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. 2 But the more I called Israel, the further they went from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images. 3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. 4 I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love; I lifted the yoke from their neck and bent down to feed them. 5 “Will they not return to Egypt and will not Assyria rule over them because they refuse to repent? 6 Swords will flash in their cities, will destroy the bars of their gates and put an end to their plans. 7 My people are determined to turn from me. Even if they call to the Most High, he will by no means exalt them. 8 “How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboiim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused. 9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim. For I am God, and not man– the Holy One among you. I will not come in wrath. 10 They will follow the LORD; he will roar like a lion. When he roars, his children will come trembling from the west. 11 They will come trembling like birds from Egypt, like doves from Assyria. I will settle them in their homes,” declares the LORD. 12 Ephraim has surrounded me with lies, the house of Israel with deceit. And Judah is unruly against God, even against the faithful Holy One. (Hosea 11:1-12 NIV)

I wish we had time to let each of us take our Bibles and reread that chapter and then meditate on the mercy, provision, grace, and love of God for His people. I wish we had time to contemplate our own waywardness. I can say without hesitation that God has provided for you and me with equal measure to His provision for the Israelites.

God has provided for you and me throughout our lives. Before we were ever even aware of His existence—He was there. He has been leading you and me throughout our life with cords of kindness, with ties of love. What has been our response? Well, I don’t think it is any different than the response of the Israelites. In verse 7, God said, “My people are determined to turn from me.”

If you and I were simply presented with the facts of Hosea and Gomer’s marital mess, who of us would counsel Hosea to hang in there? Who would tell Hosea to stay the course and keep loving her? I’m certain that most of us, if not the vast majority of us, would tell Hosea to cut his losses and move on down the road. Hosea didn’t turn away; he didn’t unleash his fury on his wayward wife because he was to love her like God loves His people. Read with me once again from Hosea 11:9-10.

9 No, I will not unleash my fierce anger. I will not completely destroy Israel, for I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy. 10 For someday the people will follow me. I, the LORD, will roar like a lion. And when I roar, my people will return trembling from the west. (Hosea 11:9-10 NLT)

If you do not learn but one lesson this morning let this be it: God is not like you and me. He has demonstrated His love for us time and time again, most clearly through the life, death, and glorious resurrection of His Son Jesus. Though we may be bent on turning away, His desire is to turn us back into His arms of mercy and grace. He will use any means necessary, just like He did in the lives of His people before us, to turn us away from that which will destroy us. His discipline is not to destroy, but to save.

There are so many things being said about God today in our country, but let me say something about us—we are being destroyed because we do not know the Lord. I want to urge you today to make your highest aim in life to know Him. The first step in knowing God is to surrender our lives to His Son. Nothing can happen in your life until that happens. Like Hosea of long ago who redeemed, bought back his wayward wife, Jesus came to redeem you and me, to buy us out of slavery and set us free to serve Him all the days of our lives. Won’t you invite Him into your heart this morning?

Mike Hays
Britton Christian Church
922 NW 91st
OKC, OK. 73114
August 15, 2010

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Thank you BCC! If it weren’t for your support, most of these kids would have never experienced camp. Thank you for using your gifts to minister to a generation that is desperate…a generation desperate to invest in something that is geniune and real.

If you would like to get a glimpse of camp, check out this link:

I got a call from a friend about one month ago asking if we could help with some kids traveling cross-country from Los Angeles, CA. We can always help so I said, “Send ‘em our way.” I had no idea the blessing we would receive when the kids and their sponsors arrived! After visiting the OKC National Memorial the kids and their sponsors arrived on Tuesday evening about 6:30 pm. The youth from Emmanuel Baptist Church joined us as we spent the evening together before they loaded back up at 4 am and headed to Dallas.

Twenty years ago Tonya Williams started driving a school bus in Los Angeles. She fell in love with the kids on her bus and she got involved in trying to help them, motivate them, and challenge them. Back in the old days Tonya would promise a kid, “If you raise your grades I’ll take you to see whatever you want to see.” They live 25 miles from the beach, but that was the most requested visit. For the kids who raised their grades Tonya delivered on her promise and drove the kids to the beach for the day.

Then Tonya met Sonya, another school bus driver who loves Jesus and kids. The two women became friends and sisters for the cause of Christ and the blessing of His kids. For years they have worked with kids who rode their bus and friends of those kids who heard about the lady the kids called their “god momma.” Oh the stories these two ladies can tell!

Years later I get to meet them at BCC. They are traveling with 20 kids from Los Angeles who have raised their grades and spent a year honing their leadership skills at school, home, and in their community. Now they are on a 30 day, 28 city tour of the U.S.A. They will visit 20 colleges from historical Black Colleges to
Ivy League schools. Thirty of the kids who started out on their school bus are in college at the present time! I could go on and on sharing stories with you about what God is doing through the “Godparents Youth Organization” and Tonya and Sonya, but just know that God is working in a powerful way.

I want to thank Pastor Chester West, his wonderful wife, Virginia, Youth Pastor Kevin Shaw, and the kids from Emmanuel Baptist Church for joining us. All of our kids are at KAA in Branson, MO. and the kids from LA wanted to spend some time with kids from our community. The folks at Emmanuel said, “You bet! We’ll be there.” You guys are champs! I also want to thank Ms. Bettye for making the most wonderful meal in the world to feed a hungry crew. You are the best! I am so thankful for the unexpected blessings God sends our way if we will just say, “Yes!”

In His Steps,
Mike

During our study Paul has laid down the foundation of our faith. He has taught us about the pervasiveness of sin, the wrath and kindness of God, and the glory of our Savior. He has encouraged believers to love one another and then given us clear direction on how to love one another. He has taught us about how we are to relate to those in authority over us. He has taught us about how to accept those whose faith is “weak” and not to stand in judgment over them. We have had an opportunity to learn so much.

I’ve noticed something interesting as we’ve gone through this study that is very rare for Paul. Paul only praises the believers in Rome. He has no criticism or correction for the church. In the vast majority of Paul’s letters to churches, at some point he addresses problems that are going on in the churches. It could be bickering among the members as was the case with Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi where he pleaded with two women to get along. Turn with me to Philippians 4:2-3 and I’ll show you what I’m talking about.

2 I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. 3 Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4:2-3 NIV)

When Paul wrote to the church in Corinth he addressed several problems that were ongoing in the church. One of the situations he addressed pretty harshly was division in the church brought about because the believers were aligning themselves behind various leaders. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 1:11-13.

11 My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. 12 What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? (1 Corinthians 1:11-13 NIV)

Paul was on the folks in Corinth from the first chapter of his letter and he didn’t let up. The church was full of problems. Paul didn’t mince words in calling the leaders on the carpet.

We see the same passion flow from Paul’s pen when he writes to the folks in Galatia. Just six verses into the letter Paul writes,

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel– 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! (Galatians 1:6-8 NIV)

I could go on, but we would never get to our Scripture for this morning. The reason I’ve pointed this out to you is because we do not find anything similar in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome. Paul praises the people. He tells them that their faith is being reported all over the world (Romans 1:8). He can’t wait until the day comes when he will be able to visit them in person and encourage them as they have encouraged him (Romans 1:12). The church in Rome is at the top of Paul’s list of model churches.

This is Paul’s longest letter. We’ve almost completed our study of sixteen chapters and not one mention of correction. But, we won’t make it through the entire sixteen chapters without a warning. This morning we are going to take a look at Romans 16:17-20. Let’s read our Scripture and see what Paul has to say.

17 I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. 18 For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. 19 Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. 20 The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. (Romans 16:17-20 NIV)

If you will notice, Paul is still not correcting the people of Rome, not in the sense that he has other churches, but Paul is warning them. As strong as the church in Rome is, Paul assumes that the same problems that have troubled other churches are lurking in the shadows just waiting for the opportunity to destroy the church in Rome.

This is a great lesson for us today. I’ve known churches like the church in Corinth. Churches that are a mess, full of problems, and as dysfunctional as any dysfunctional family you’ve ever seen. I’ve known believers like Euodia and Syntyche who, even though they were followers of Jesus, they let their disagreements or personality clashes keep them apart. I’ve even witnessed this happen right here at Britton Christian Church. At this point in time in the life of our church things are going well. There are no big controversies over what is being taught, there are no leaders like the ones Paul describes in Romans 16:17-20 who are sowing seeds of dissension and division among us, and God is using us to teach His Word and serve His people in a way that is glorifying His name and blessing His people.

I got a phone call just this past week from a friend in another city. He asked, “How are things going at the church?” My answer was, “Things are going really well.” I went on to tell him what God is doing and what I’m seeing. We are blessed are we not?

I’ve been around long enough to know that the atmosphere will not always be like it is at this moment. How do I know that? Well, I know that from experience. There have not been many, but we’ve been through some tumultuous times in the last twenty years. There have been times that threatened to rip the heart out of this church. There have been times that have caused the leaders of this church to devote all of our energy to addressing problems and that left little energy for reaching out and seeking to be a blessing to this community. Those periods of our life together have not been many, but boy have they been difficult.

At this point, when the waters are calm and God is moving, it is tempting to let out a sigh of relief, sit back and relax, and leave our “post.” Don’t do it. Don’t you dare do it. Man your post. Stay on the look-out. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that when you hear the battering rams beating against the gates, you need to stay at your post. When the waters are calm, the enemy is nowhere in sight, and you are tempted to better use your time—stay at your post. When God is moving—man your post. Don’t ever leave your post. Never, no never, not under any circumstance, should you leave your post. Paul says as much to the folks in Rome. Read it again. Romans 16:17.

17 I urge you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and put obstacles in your way that are contrary to the teaching you have learned. Keep away from them. (Romans 16:17 NIV)

Paul urges those who are in Rome. He’s only done that in two other places in his letter. In Romans 12:1-2 Paul urged them to “present their bodies as a living sacrifice to God” and then, in Romans 15:30 Paul urged them to pray that his plans for traveling to Spain wouldn’t be hindered. Here, in Romans 16:17 Paul is urging the brothers and sisters to keep their head on a swivel, to man their post, to be attentive to what is going on. The Greek word for “watch out for” is the word, “σκοπέω” (skopeo) and it means, “to look at, observe, contemplate, or to fix one’s eyes upon.” Let me share some of the places in the New Testament where the word is used and you will be able to get a better sense of the importance of the word. In Luke 11:34-35, Jesus says,

34 Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. 35 See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. (Luke 11:34-35 NIV)

Jesus uses the same word in verse 35 when He says, “See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness.” Keep watch. Stay focused. Do you know what Jesus is really saying? He’s saying that it just doesn’t happen. He’s saying that just going to church on Sunday isn’t going to cut it. We have to continually seek God, we have to constantly walk with God, we can’t slouch, slumber, or slack in our relationship with God.

Paul uses the same word in Galatians 6:1 when he talks about how we are to deal with a brother or sister who is trapped in sin. Paul writes,

1 Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. (Galatians 6:1 NIV)

When I was young there was something called “missionary dating.” Typically what happened was that some young Christian girl liked some roughneck boy and even though folks warned her about him, she had high hopes of turning his wayward life around. Sad to say, many times it didn’t work out. Even more sadly, sometimes the committed Christian found herself stumbling in her walk and living more like the one she initially tried to help. Paul says, “Watch yourself! Keep an eye on how you are living, what you are thinking and doing, as you try to help those who are caught in the snares of sin.”

The word is also used in a positive sense. In Philippians 3:17 Paul encourages the folks in Philippi to keep their eyes on those who are walking with the Lord. Read along with me.

17Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. (Philippians 3:17 NIV)

Paul urges the folks in Philippi to follow the example he has set for them. He also wants them to “take note” of those who are also living the Christian life. We are not simply to keep on the watch for those things that will destroy us, distract us in our daily walk, but we are also to a watch out for godly men and women who can encourage us in our daily walk.

In Acts 20:28-31, Paul was speaking to the leaders of the church in Ephesus as he prepared to board the ship and leave for his next destination. I don’t know what all Paul taught the folks in Ephesus while he was there, but we do know what he shared with them just before he left. Turn with me to Acts 20:28-31 and let’s read together.

28 Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood. 29 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30 Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31 So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. (Acts 20:28-31 NIV)

Paul is no pessimist. If anything he is prone to seeing the positive in every situation because Paul is so grounded in the Sovereignty of God. Yet, Paul also knows the human condition. He knows that we are prone to go left. He knows that if not cared for, tended to, and maintained everything we touch will crumble right before our eyes. He knows that even if a group of folks are seeking God with all of their hearts and walking with Him with passion and commitment, there are others who are looking for their opportunity to come in and wreak havoc.

Is all of this talk about “keeping a watch” paranoia on the part of Jesus’ followers? Are the followers of Jesus really a bunch of fearful, skeptical, suspicious folks? That is sure the way that some people in our society characterize us isn’t it? Although some may think these things about us they are far from accurate. We have in our possession something more valuable than the Hope diamond, the Crown Jewels, and the Holy Grail combined. We have the Word of God given to us by God and we are to follow, preserve, and guard its teachings so that they do not become altered, watered down, forgotten, or lost.

Paul says to “watch out” for certain kinds of folks. He says to watch out for those who cause divisions, those who put obstacles in our way that are contrary to the teachings we have been given in God’s Word, those who are smooth talkers who deceive the naïve, those who are not serving Jesus, but only fulfilling their own self-centered appetites.

Have you ever run across any of those kinds of people in the church? Most often they don’t do their work out in the open, they slip around behind the scenes, and sow their seeds of discord in the shadows. Most of the time you don’t even know who they are until things blow up and you start putting the pieces together.

Paul says that these teach things that are contrary to Scripture. Most often what they teach are things that are rooted in Scripture, but with a slight twist. Let me give you an example of what I’m talking about. There has been a popular teaching during the past couple of decades that has come to be known as the “health, wealth, and prosperity” Gospel. It is really not “good news” at all because it is contrary to Scripture. Those who are proponents of this kind of teaching are quick to quote Scripture. They will quote Matthew 7:9-11.

9 “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! (Matthew 7:9-11 NIV)

We all want the best for our kids don’t we? Sure we do. And if we want the best for our kids, then Scripture testifies that God wants even better things for us. The problem is that those who teach this heresy equate “best” with stuff, rather than God’s purpose and will for our lives. This isn’t the only Scripture they quote. They also quote Matthew 18:19 where Jesus said,

19 “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. (Matthew 18:19 NIV)

If you have a loved one who is ill then all you need to do is find another brother or sister in Christ to agree with you for their healing and they will be healed. After all, Isaiah 53:5 says, “…by His wounds we are healed.” If you have a child who is rebelling and you can find someone to agree with you about their life getting back on track then guess what? It is done! If you need money then all you have to do is give yours away and God will bless your socks off. After all, Jesus said,

38 Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Luke 6:38 NIV)

They forget to tell you that this Scripture is set in the context of loving our enemies, forgiving those who have hurt us, and not judging or condemning others.

There are many more Scriptures that they quote, but I think you are getting the picture. God is not a puppet that we can manipulate with prescribed prayers or our selfish ways. God is God and He is Sovereign over all.

The last thing Paul wants the people of Rome to remember is to stick to the truth of God. Now, they didn’t have the whole revelation of God like we do today. We have God’s Word, the Old Testament and the New to lead us and guide us and yet most of us are so unfamiliar with God’s Word that we are easily led astray by what sounds good and “right.” Let me remind you of what Paul wrote to the believers in Galatia.

6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel– 7 which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! 9 As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! (Galatians 1:6-9 NIV)

It doesn’t matter how good it sounds, it doesn’t matter how many people are following the new teaching, if it is not the Gospel that you find in the Word of God then it is no Gospel at all.

As I said, we have the whole counsel of God, but because so few really know God’s Word, we are seeing tons of supposed followers of Jesus duped by new theologies that appeal to people’s emotions. We must be discerning people. John wrote,

1 Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1 NIV)

How can you test the spirits unless you know the truth? It is impossible. You must know the truth to be able to recognize what is false. You can’t “feel” whether something is right or wrong, true or false, you must know. God’s Word is the litmus test, it is the plumb-line of truth. I want us, all of us at Britton Christian Church, to be faithful to the Word of God, to share the Word of God, and to live out the Word of God. To do this we must know the Word of God.

Throughout history there have been many well-intentioned followers of Jesus who have been fooled by those who were smooth talkers, convincing in the way they presented their new, revolutionary teachings, and yet they were no more following the Lord than anything. As a result they led many, many well-meaning people astray and shipwrecked the faith of many more.

I want to encourage you this morning to examine your own life. Let God search your heart. Do you know Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life? If so, then are you growing in your walk with Him each day? If not, then what are you waiting for? Won’t you accept Him into your heart this morning?

Mike Hays
Britton Christian Church
922 NW 91st
OKC, OK. 73114
June 27, 2010

For many men today we have confused the temporal with the eternal. We give our best effort to that which will eventually go away and lag behind in our efforts at home. Many men are willing to lay down their lives for their job. They would never think of saying, “No” to any request made by the boss. No sacrifice is too great to gain that corner office, promotion, or end-of-year bonus, but when it comes to their home many men do not exhibit the same kind of commitment and willingness to sacrifice.

I believe there are many reasons why this is a reality for many men. For some of us, we didn’t have a dad to show us how to be a man, how a man interacts with his family, or the sacrifices that a man makes for his wife and children. With no model, no mentor, we are left to do the best we can do with what we’ve got to work with. For some other men, the workplace offers us a more controlled environment. We may be in a position of authority where we tell others what to do and they simply do it, we have people to assist us, and serve us, and we like that. At home, we’re not the “boss.” We ask our kids to clean their room and they look back at us like we’ve told them to find a cure for cancer. We bark out instructions like General Petraeus and instead of a salute, everyone within in the sound of our voice rolls their eyes. For some of us men playing golf, hanging out with the boys, and kicking up our heels is fun, carefree, and an escape from the hard work of being a husband and father. Being a dad can be challenging, frustrating at times, but it is the stuff of eternity. God has ordained us to be dads. He has called us to bless our children, teach them His Word, how to recognize His ways, and to press on through the difficulties and challenges with undying conviction and unyielding commitment.

Jim was overjoyed when he and Kathy had their first child. They named him Tommy and Jim made God a promise that he wouldn’t repeat the mistakes his own dad had made. Jim had been raised by his mom after his mom and dad had divorced. He was only five at the time. His dad would have been a great dad, or at least Jim believed that he would have, if he had only tried. Others told Jim that his dad was a great man. He heard stories of how his dad had helped others. He heard stories of his dad’s accomplishments in the community, but for Jim his dad was a distant figure whom he rarely got a chance to be around while he was growing up.

It is a wonderful thing when a person uses their the experience of their own suffering to make a decision to help others so that they might avoid the suffering they have endured. That is exactly what Jim did with the void left by his dad. He decided that He would never abandon his own son. Jim turned down promotions because they might take him away from Kathy and Tommy more than he wanted. Jim went to work early in the morning so that he could make sure he was home by dinner. He loved Kathy and Tommy and it was evident.

Things were going according to plan for the first several years. When Tommy was six, Jim and Kathy had a second child, another little boy they named William, but everyone called him “Billy.” Jim once again had a talk with God and made a commitment not to repeat the mistakes his own dad had made in his life. Jim would pray every morning for Kathy and his boys and he would ask God to keep him focused on what truly mattered in life.

Jim loved spending the evenings with Kathy and his boys. They tossed a ball around, wrestled in the floor, and read books when it came time to go to bed before they ended the day in prayer.

Jim and Kathy planned a big celebration for Tommy’s 13th birthday. It was hard to believe that their little boy was now a teenager. Kathy had sent invitations to all of Tommy’s friends. They gathered at the neighborhood pool, played games, and made memories that they would never forget.

Over the next few months things began to change. Tommy began to withdraw, detach, and spend more time with his friends and less time wanting to be around his mom and dad. It didn’t bother Jim too much; he knew that Tommy was a teenager now and that it was just part of the process of growing up. Then, when Tommy was in ninth grade his grades began to slip, he decided he didn’t want to play basketball anymore, and he and his dad began to argue. Argue may not be the right word—it was war and every day was a battle. Tommy was rebelling and Jim was tired.

Changes continued, but the changes weren’t confined to Tommy’s heart—Jim began to withdraw. He was tired of fighting, tired of trying to connect with Tommy when Tommy showed no signs of wanting to connect. Jim began to take on more responsibilities at work, spend more time playing golf with his friends, spending less time at home, and he did this to try and escape his disappointment with home.

There was collateral damage that was done because of Jim and Tommy’s soured relationship. Because Jim was staying away from home Billy didn’t get to spend the time with his dad that Tommy did when he was young. The evening wrestling matches were a thing of the past. Jim didn’t coach Billy’s little league baseball team. He did good just to make it to Billy’s games. Kathy still read to Billy and prayed with him before he went to sleep at night, but Jim had work to do so he would look up from his computer and tell Billy “goodnight” on his way past Jim’s office. Jim had thrown in the towel.

Jim’s story is not unique. Jim wasn’t the first dad to be disappointed nor will he be the last. Regardless of what the parenting books at Mardel’s tell you, most dads who really make an effort to be a “good” dad feel disappointment if their children begin to withdraw, acquire other interests, or begin to make disappointing decisions.

Emotions are powerful. The experiences we have in life that disappoint us can lead to our making decisions that can impact us for the rest of our lives. A wife who is disappointed with her marriage can make the decision to check it in. The worker who is disappointed with his boss can make the decision to resign. The friend who is disappointed with his buddy can choose to walk away. Each of us knows this to be true. Some of us have even experienced the disconnect I am talking about.

Men, the question I want to address today is, “How can we stay true to what God has called us to do when we encounter disappointment?” I don’t want to spend our time simply focused on “Fatherhood,” that is far too narrow of a topic, and our checking out when we encounter disappointment is far more widespread than simply the arena of fatherhood.

While I was on vacation with my family a few weeks ago I read 1 Chronicles. If you’ve never read it then you really should. There are some powerful lessons taken from the lives of David, Solomon, and the Israelites. While I was reading 1 Chronicles I noticed something about the relationship of David and his son, Solomon. David wanted to build a temple for the Lord more than anything, but God wouldn’t allow it. God told David that his son would be the one to build the temple for him. How David dealt with the disappointment of not being allowed to build the Temple provides us with a powerful illustration that transcends every area of our lives. David had to have been disappointed when he learned that he wouldn’t be allowed to build the temple. At that point David could have shifted into “woe-is-me” mode and lived out his years in disappointment and loathing. David didn’t do that, he wanted to build the temple, but he understood the sovereignty of God, so he went with God’s plan. In 1 Chronicles 22:5-13 we read what David did in response to God’s announcement. Read along with me.

5 David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the LORD should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.” So David made extensive preparations before his death. 6 Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the LORD, the God of Israel. 7 David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the LORD my God. 8 But this word of the LORD came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. 9 But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. 10 He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ 11 “Now, my son, the LORD be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the LORD your God, as he said you would. 12 May the LORD give you discretion and understanding when he puts you in command over Israel, so that you may keep the law of the LORD your God. 13Then you will have success if you are careful to observe the decrees and laws that the LORD gave Moses for Israel. Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. (1 Chronicles 22:5-13 NIV)

David recognized that his son was young and inexperienced. Solomon would need help. David began to make plans to help Solomon accomplish all that God had given him to do. David did two things that were very important: First, he began to gather the needed materials that Solomon would need to do what God had called him to do one day. Secondly, and really of first importance, David urged Solomon to walk with God, to keep God’s commands, to be strong and courageous, and to refuse to fear or become discouraged.

Six chapters later, we are allowed to hear a father and son heart-to-heart that should be used by every father to teach his son what is most important in life. Let me set the context for you. Solomon has come to his coronation, he is to become king, and his father, David, is addressing all of Israel about the future with their new king. When we come to 1 Chronicles 28:9-11, David turns his attention from the people of Israel to his son, Solomon. David says,

9 “And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. 10 Consider now, for the LORD has chosen you to build a temple as a sanctuary. Be strong and do the work.” 11 Then David gave his son Solomon the plans for the portico of the temple, its buildings, its storerooms, its upper parts, its inner rooms and the place of atonement. (1 Chronicles 28:9-11 NIV)

What is most important for the new king to know going into office? Surround yourself with capable leaders? No. Exert your authority so you can let them know who’s boss? Hardly. David says, “acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind…seek Him and He will be found by you…Be strong and do the work.” That is great advice for all of us men. It is also great insight that we should sharing with our children. After David instructed his son he handed him the plans for the temple and then, in 1 Chronicles 28:19-20, we read,

19 “All this,” David said, “I have in writing from the hand of the LORD upon me, and he gave me understanding in all the details of the plan.” 20 David also said to Solomon his son, “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD God, my God, is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you until all the work for the service of the temple of the LORD is finished. (1 Chronicles 28:19-20 NIV)

“God is with you Solomon. Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or discouraged.” When Solomon was a young guy his dad had told him the same thing, “Don’t be afraid or discouraged.” David coupled this advice with the reminder to seek God above all else. Herein lies the key to being the man God has called us to be—seek God above all else. David had done it in his own life, throughout his life, and now he was passing on to his son the greatest lesson he could ever learn—seek God.

Make it your aim to walk with God every moment of every day, give your full attention to fully following Him and being obedient to what He is showing you in His Word, and don’t be discouraged or afraid. God is not nearly as concerned with our “success” as He is our passion for Him and our obedience in following His will. This is a lesson, a principle that applies to every area of our lives men. From parenting, to serving our wives, to blessing those in our place of work, to being God’s ambassador when we are with our buddies playing softball or attending a ball game—seeking God with all of our hearts will prevent us from ever being led astray.

As I said earlier, when David heard that he would not be the one to build the temple David could have allowed his disappointment to derail him from being the man God had called him to be, but he didn’t.
This is not the only time in David’s life that he would have to deal with disappointment. David’s family was a mess. His son Absalom turned against him. The two were alienated for years until finally Absalom wanted to kill his dad. Absalom was killed by David’s men, even though David had given them strict instructions not to harm him. When David found out that Absalom was dead we read how David responded.

33 The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: “O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you–O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2 Samuel 18:33 NIV)

It was a devastating blow for David, but David eventually got up from the ash heap and continued in his pursuit of the Lord. Over and over again we find David dealing with disappointment and in equal proportion we find David seeking God, finding his strength in the Lord.

Earlier in his life David had lost a newborn son, the first son he had with Bathsheba. While the child was alive David wouldn’t leave his side, but when the child died, David got up took a shower, went to eat, and all of this perplexed his servants. His servants asked him about it and David said,

22 …”While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, ‘Who knows? The LORD may be gracious to me and let the child live.’ 23 But now that he is dead, why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me.” (2 Samuel 12:22-23 NIV)

David was use to dealing with discouragement and disappointment before he ever lost his son. Before David became king he was on the run from Saul. David, his men, and their families were at Ziklag. While David and his men were out one day the Amalekites raided their camp and stole the women and children. When David and his men returned they found their families missing. David’s men turned on him, they began murmuring, and the murmuring grew and grew until the men were ready to stone David to death. David knew what was going on. He knew that his life was hanging in the balance. In 1 Samuel 30:6 we read.

6 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God. (1 Samuel 30:6 NIV)

There it is again. “David found strength in the Lord his God.” Through all of the disappointments of his life David persisted in seeking God. In the workplace and in his home David sought the Lord with all of his heart. He encouraged those around him to seek the Lord, but most did not. When they did David rejoiced, but when they refused and went their own way, David continued to seek the Lord.

Men, I’ve got a treasure for you this morning that is more valuable than anything you could ever possess. I’ve got some inside information that is of greater value than the best stock tip you’ve ever received. I’ve got a plan for you that is more solid than any book you could buy at Mardel’s or Barnes and Noble. You ready for this? Do you have your pen and paper ready? Here we go. Seek God. Seek Him with all of your heart, with all of your soul, and with all of your might. Never cease from seeking Him. Through discouragement seek Him. In the midst of trials seek Him. When you are disappointed and it is leading you into depression—seek Him with all of your heart. We men love plans. Give us three steps and we will try and conquer whatever obstacle lies before us. I’ll save you two steps—seek God!

Those of you who are fathers need to know that being called “dad” is an amazing thing. Having the opportunity to bless our children, lead them in their understanding of the Lord, and watch them grow is one of the greatest blessings God has reserved for us dads. At the same time, there can be some tremendous challenges and disappointments along the way. There may come a time in your child’s life when you aren’t “cool” any more. I know that is hard to believe. You young dads, you know that it’s happened to other dads, but they weren’t as cool as you. Well, I don’t want to discourage you. I hope that you are always cooler than ice cream to your kids, but just in case your “coolness” melts in the eyes of your kids I want to encourage you to seek God above all else. There may be some dads who are here with us this morning who have teenage children that have withdrawn, disconnected from you. I want to encourage you to continue to seek God. Don’t get discouraged, don’t be afraid of what the future holds—seek God. There are some dads here who have grown children. Don’t think that just because they are now adults that your calling has ceased. One of the blessings of being a dad is that we are never forced into retirement. We get to be called, “Dad” for the rest of our lives. Our relationship with our adult children has changed but they still need us to point them to the Lord, to give them good, godly, biblical counsel about life. Don’t pull back when they don’t follow all of the advice that you give them. Continue to seek God and seek opportunities to be used by God to bless their lives.

When I was young I was often told to “be the man.” What was meant by that was to be the “go to guy,” never back down from a challenge, and rise to the occasion. I like a challenge, but boy some challenges can overwhelm me at times. I’ve put a twist on the saying that I heard so often when I was young. Now, instead of wanting to be the man, I desire to be the man that God has called me to be. I’m not Superman. I don’t have what it takes within me to meet every challenge, but when I come across challenges that are too big for me, to overwhelming for me to deal with, I can find strength in the Lord and He has never failed to give me the strength I need to face each and every challenge that has come my way.

Men, God has called us to make a difference in the lives of our kids, but He has also called us to make a more far-reaching impact on this world for His glory. To do that, to be the man that He has called us to be, we must seek Him with all of our hearts. I want to challenge you this morning to let God search your hearts and show you if this is true of you. Are you seeking Him with all of your heart? If not, why not confess it to Him this morning and confess your desire to be the man He has called you to be.

Mike Hays
Britton Christian Church
922 NW 91st
OKC, OK. 73114
June 20, 2010

• A monotheistic system of beliefs and practices based on the Old Testament and the teachings of Jesus as embodied in the New Testament and emphasizing the role of Jesus as savior.

• Christian – a religious person who believes Jesus is the Christ and who is a member of a Christian denomination

The website GotQuestions?org provided the following answer to the question, “What is Christianity and what do Christians believe?”

Answer: The core beliefs of Christianity are summarized in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Jesus died for our sins, was buried, was resurrected, and thereby offers salvation to all who will receive Him in faith. Unique among all other faiths, Christianity is more about a relationship than religious practices. Instead of adhering to a list of “do’s and don’ts,” the goal of a Christian is to cultivate a close walk with God. That relationship is made possible because of the work of Jesus Christ and the ministry of the Holy Spirit. (Gotquestions.org. http://www.gotquestions.org/christianity.html)

There are lots of additional answers that I read on the internet and the truth of the matter is that many different people understand Christianity to be many different things. Christianity is the term used to describe the system of beliefs established throughout the life and ministry of Jesus. It is monotheistic—we worship only one God. By following Jesus’ teachings we will grow in our relationship with God, but something is missing in all of these descriptions.

When we say, “Yes!” to Jesus and surrender our lives to Him, it radically alters the way we relate to one another. Those who were once neighbors, co-workers, teammates, classmates, friends, enemies, and family members become family in a totally different sense of the word. “Family” is one of those words that we like to see through the brush of Norman Rockwell. We like to idealize the word “family,” make it out to be more than most of us have experienced in our own families, and yet, apart from Christ, families are as prone to fall apart and disintegrate as fast as the U.S. economy.

The word that best describes Christianity is “relationship.” Our relationship with God was broken because of our sin. God sent His Son, Jesus, into this world to pay the price for our sin, reconcile us to God, and allow us to enter in to a new relationship with God. As a result of this action, on God’s part, He empowers us to live out a new relationship with others. In the place of brokenness, manipulation, bitterness, resentment, and divisiveness, we are to experience love, unity, joy, forgiveness, service, and reconciliation with all our brothers and sisters in Christ. These are impossible apart from what God has done for us through the Cross and His Son’s selfless giving of Himself on our behalf.

As we get to the last chapter of Paul’s letter to the church in Rome we see a long list of those people that have left their mark on Paul’s life. What was it that held these relationships together? It was their undying commitment to Jesus. Let’s read our Scripture and then we will see what we can learn.

1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me. 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. 4 They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. 5 Greet also the church that meets at their house. Greet my dear friend Epenetus, who was the first convert to Christ in the province of Asia. 6 Greet Mary, who worked very hard for you. 7 Greet Andronicus and Junias, my relatives who have been in prison with me. They are outstanding among the apostles, and they were in Christ before I was. 8 Greet Ampliatus, whom I love in the Lord. 9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and my dear friend Stachys. 10 Greet Apelles, tested and approved in Christ. Greet those who belong to the household of Aristobulus. 11 Greet Herodion, my relative. Greet those in the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord. 12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, those women who work hard in the Lord. Greet my dear friend Persis, another woman who has worked very hard in the Lord. 13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother, who has been a mother to me, too. 14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermes, Patrobas, Hermas and the brothers with them. 15 Greet Philologus, Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas and all the saints with them. 16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ send greetings. (Romans 16:1-16 NIV)

All of the wonderful doctrinal lessons that Paul has written about up to this point in his letter to the folks in Rome are now over and the final chapter of Paul’s letter is filled with names. There are names of folks who are in Rome, the name of someone who is on her way to Rome, and names of people who are with Paul in Corinth, the place where he was when the letter was written.

Behind every name is a story. Behind every story is an experience or many experiences that have helped to shape Paul into the man that he has become. That is true of us also isn’t it? If I say the name “Charles” then you will automatically attach that name to a person you have known in your life and stories will follow. For me it would be my dad. I can tell you stories of the lessons I’ve learned from him and the life I’ve shared with him. There are other people named “Charles” who have shaped my life. Charles is also Charles Haddon Spurgeon, a man who has had such an impact on my life, but who I never got to meet since he lived during the 1800’s. I don’t know him as Charles, I know him as Pastor Spurgeon, the “Prince of Preachers.”

There is another Charles that God has used to shape my life. This one wasn’t a preacher or my dad, but this Charles was a heroin addict. Charles lived in one of the little houses in the alley when we first moved to Oklahoma City. Charles was using at the time and he threatened to kill me. He wasn’t joking either. Charles and his wife moved away from the neighborhood shortly after he threatened to do me in and I didn’t see them for a couple of years until I stood up to teach one Sunday morning and spotted Charles sitting in one of the pews. My heart began to race. I thought, “Oh Lord, don’t let him kill me in front of these people.” At the end of the sermon I gave an invitation and Charles came forward and gave his life to Jesus. I could fill a week of your time with the stories that followed—stories of heartache, reconciliation, staying clean and falling off the wagon, going to jail and regaining his freedom, having the Promise Keepers pray for him before he went to treatment, and on and on the stories go. Underlying all of the stories, the glue that held us together until Charles died was our bond in Jesus. Charles was family. Charles and I loved each loved because Jesus was bold enough to love us. Behind each name are stories.

So many of the followers of Jesus who choose to read the letter to the Church in Rome come to Romans 16 and skip over all of the names. They’ve read the wonderful doctrinal lessons in the first 15 chapters, but because Romans 16 is so different they don’t take the time to really learn from what Paul writes in chapter 16. Let’s not make that mistake. Let’s learn from the stories of those Paul shared his life with.

Paul names 26 individuals, but those are not all that he greets in the final sentences of his letter. He also greets Rufus’ “mom” and Nereus’ “sister”—twenty-eight individuals in all. Among these 28 folks in Rome are people from every walk of life—Aquila was a tentmaker, Rufus was the son of Simon of Cyrene, the man who carried Jesus’ cross, historical sources tell us that the names Ampliatus, Urbanus, Hermes, Philologus, and Julia were common names for slaves, and many believe that Aristobulus was the grandson of Herod the Great and friend of Emperor Claudius. There are Jews as well as Gentiles and nine of the names listed are women. The wide diversity of people who are addressed by Paul gives us some indication of the crowd Paul was writing to. He wasn’t writing to scholars or preachers, but he was writing to people from all walks of life. Leon Morris, in his commentary on Romans, writes,

As we consider the weighty matters Paul deals with, we are apt to overlook the fact that it was addressed to people like Ampliatus and Tryphena and Rufus. Clearly Paul expected this kind of person to be helped by what he wrote, a fact which modern experts sometimes overlook. And it is fitting that this letter, which has given us so much solid doctrinal teaching, should end with this emphasis on persons, on love, and on a reminder that humble servants of God perform all sorts of active ministry. (Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Erdman’s Publishing Company. Inter-Varsity Press, 1988. Pg. 527.)

It is fitting that the letter ends with an emphasis on “persons, on love, and on a reminder that humble servants of God perform all sorts of active ministry.” Paul sends his greetings to the people of Rome, but there are others who want to send their greetings to the brothers and sisters in Rome as well. Paul says, “all the churches of Christ send greetings.” (Romans 16:16 NIV) Timothy, Lucius, Jason, Sosipater, Gaius, Paul’s host in Corinth, Erastus, the director of public works in Corinth, and Quartus all send their greetings along with Paul to the people of Rome.

During this study of Romans I have benefitted so much from the studies of others. People like John MacArthur, David Darnell, F. F. Bruce, and John R.W. Stott, men who have studied Paul’s letter to the church in Rome and left their notes for people like you and me to benefit from in our own studies. Dr. MacArthur writes about Romans 16.

This passage is by far the most extensive and intimate expression of love and appreciation to come from the tender heart and inspired mind of the apostle Paul. It is a rich and rewarding section that yields many insights into the life of Paul, into the lives of other early Christians, and into the nature and character of the first-century church. The apostle’s comments about these mostly unknown individuals are all the more poignant because this great apostle takes time to speak so warmly and appreciatively of these “ordinary” Christians, who were as much his brothers and sisters in Christ as Peter, James, John, and other New Testament notables. He here reveals his deep affection for those whom he had served, for those who had served him, and for those who served with him. (John MacArthur, MacArthur’s New Testament Commentary: Romans 9-16. The Moody Bible Institute: Chicago, IL. 1994.)

A study of Romans 16 is truly a glimpse into the heart of the Apostle Paul and the relationships that meant so much to him. Let me introduce you to some of Paul’s family. In Romans 16:1-2 we meet a wonderfully godly woman named Phoebe. Read along with me. Paul writes,

1 I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a servant of the church in Cenchrea. 2 I ask you to receive her in the Lord in a way worthy of the saints and to give her any help she may need from you, for she has been a great help to many people, including me. (Romans 16:1-2 NIV)

This is the only mention in the entire New Testament of Phoebe’s name. We only have two verses about her, but boy can we learn a lot from those two verses. Let’s take a look.

Paul Commends Phoebe

First of all, Paul “commends” Phoebe. To you and me that might not seem like much other than a pat on the back, but in the ancient world a “commendation” meant so much more than that. In the ancient world where there was no email, cell phones, texting, or other means of communication outside of letters and speech, letters of commendation could open doors for those coming into a town where they were unknown. We have some examples in Scripture that I want to show you. In Acts 18:26-27 we find that Apollos carried with him a letter of commendation when he went to Achaia. Read along with me.

26 He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately. 27 When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. On arriving, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. (Acts 18:26-27 NIV)

In Colossians 4, we read where Paul was sending some folks to Colosse. He was sending Tychicus along with Onesimus to fill them in on what is going on with Paul and to encourage the hearts of those in Colosse. Then in verse 10 Paul says,

10 My fellow prisoner Aristarchus sends you his greetings, as does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have received instructions about him; if he comes to you, welcome him.) (Colossians 4:10 NIV)

For someone who was unknown to a community a letter of commendation from Paul would give that person instant credibility. Phoebe was commended by Paul to the church in Rome. Paul asked the people of Rome to receive her in a manner that would be worthy of the saints and to give her any help that she needed.

Many Bible teachers believe that since Phoebe is the first on the list of those Paul recognizes, and that he “commends” her to the people in Rome, this suggests that she is on her way to Rome. This should also lead us to the conclusion that she was on her way to Rome to deliver the letter Paul had written to the church. Donald Grey Barnhouse wrote,

Never was there a greater burden carried by such tender hands. The theological history of the church through the centuries was in the manuscript which she brought with her. The Reformation was in that baggage. The blessing of multitudes in our day was carried in those parchments. (Donald Grey Barnhouse, God’s Glory: Exposition of Bible Doctrines, Taking the Epistle to the Romans as a Point of Departure, vol. 10, Romans 14:13-16:27 (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdman’s Publishing Company, 1964.) pg. 124.)

Can you imagine that trip? A trip of over 600 miles. Some by land and some by sea. Did Phoebe know what she was carrying? Sure she was carrying a letter, but it wasn’t just any letter, it was the greatest doctrinal writing in the history of the world that Phoebe carried with her.

Phoebe “Our Sister”

Paul says more about Phoebe. He says that she is “our sister.” That’s an interesting phrase isn’t it? Phoebe wasn’t literally the sister of all those in Rome. They didn’t share the same biological mother or father, but they were related in a far more important and intimate way. Phoebe was their sister in Christ. It was Jesus who first began to identify His followers as “family.” In Luke 8:19-21 we read,

19 Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. 20 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.” 21 He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.” (Luke 8:19-21 NIV)

There are so many instances of the followers of Jesus being called “brothers” and “sisters” in Scripture. For the sake of time I will just share one with you from 1 John 3:16. Read along with me.

16 This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. (1 John 3:16 NIV)

Through what Jesus has done for us we have been bound together as family, the family of God. The bond that we share in Jesus is stronger than any biological bond. It is God’s desire that the relationships we share together as brothers and sisters in Christ be modeled after the relationship we have with Jesus. We are to love, forgive, serve, and stand with one another through thick and thin for the glory of God.

Phoebe the Servant

Paul also tells us that Phoebe is a “servant” of the church in Cenchrea. The word translated “servant” is the Greek word, “διάκονος” (diakonos), the word that we get our word, “Deacon” from. The word can surely refer to the official title of “deacon,” but Paul also uses the word to describe the work of all believers. In Matthew 20:25-25 Jesus uses the word to refer to the work of all believers as well when He says,

25 Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave– 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28 NIV)

We don’t know if Phoebe served in some official capacity in the church at Cenchrea, but this verse sure suggests that she could have. We do know that she was a servant of the people there and that “she helped many people.” Paul says that she also helped him.

I’ve read several different translations of the Bible this week and in each and every one they translate the word, “προστάτις” (prostatis), as “help” or “helpful to many.” The only exception is the King James Version which translates the word as, “succourer.” You will have to help me with the definition of that word. The Greek word that is used is much more descriptive and gives us some insight into the ways that Phoebe helped many others, including Paul. The word means, “a woman set over others, a female guardian, protectress, patroness, caring for the affairs of others and aiding them with her resources.” Douglas J. Moo, in his commentary on Romans, says,

A ‘patron’ was one who came to the aid of others, especially foreigners, by providing housing and financial aid and by representing their interests before local authorities. Cenchrea’s status as a busy seaport would make it imperative that a Christian in its church take up this ministry on behalf of visiting Christians. Phoebe, then, was probably a woman of high social standing and some wealth, who put her status, resources, and time at the services of traveling Christians, like Paul, who needed help and support. (Douglas Moo, The New International Commentary on the New Testament: Epistle to the Romans. Grand Rapids, MI. Wm. B. Erdmans Publishing Company. pg. 916.)

Phoebe is long gone. Out of all the people written about in the Bible she would have to fall way down on the list of the most important people in God’s Word. We only have two verses that speak about her. She’s a nobody right? I bet that before you heard this lesson you might have agreed with that statement, but now, after hearing what you have just heard, there is no way that you could ever categorize Phoebe as a nobody. What a woman! What a servant! She might not have been privileged to have inherited a godly heritage from her pagan parents, but once she came to know Jesus as Lord of her life, she spent the rest of her life serving her King with her time, her talents, and her finances. She served the people in her home church. When she heard about financial needs of missionaries like Paul, she was the first to open her checkbook. When someone was needed to carry a letter to Rome, a trip of over 600 miles, she was the first to raise her hand and say, “I’ll go.” What a woman! What a woman of God!

Phoebe’s story reminds me of something that George C. Fuller, a minister in the Presbyterian Church of America and a former president of Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia once wrote. Dr. Fuller was writing about the ministry of all believers one to another when he wrote these words,

The world measures greatness by the service a person receives. In business the ‘important’ people are those at the top of the organizational pyramid. The bigger the organization, the more important the top person is. In personal affairs the ‘great’ are those who have servants, and the greater number of servants, the greater the great one is perceived to be. Jesus reversed all that. He turned the whole thing upside down, making as it were, ‘the first last and the last first.’ In God’s eyes, greatness consists not in the number of people who serve us but in the number of people we serve. The greater the number, the better the Christian. (George C. Fuller, “Deacons, the Neglected Ministry,” The Presbyterian Journal, November 6, 1978, pg. 9).

You want to be great? Truly great? Then get on your knees and cry out to the Father, “Use me Lord. Use me in any way You desire. Make me a servant who loves to serve You by serving Your people.” What a prayer. What a dangerous prayer. I will guarantee you that if you have enough courage to pray that prayer with all your heart that God will act in ways that you won’t believe.

Mike Hays
Britton Christian Church
922 NW 91st
OKC, OK. 73114
June 13, 2010

Paul had a brilliant mind, but he was not an academic, he was a missionary. His heart was to share the Good News with those who had never heard the message of Jesus before. He ventured off the beaten path, he traveled to places where other followers of Jesus would have never considered going, and he rubbed shoulders with those, who years earlier, he would have never even given the time of day.

By the time he wrote the letter to the church in Rome he was well past “halftime” in his ministry and life. He didn’t know it, but he was headed to the finish line. Paul’s three missionary journeys had taken him through hardships and trials as well as allowing him to experience the joy of seeing new churches established and many people come to know Jesus as Lord of their life.

As a result of his conversion, the Apostle Paul’s life was radically altered. From the day he met Jesus on the road to Damascus, he chose the road less traveled. The great American poet, Robert Frost, wrote a poem that was published in 1916 called, The Road Not Taken. In the poem he writes,

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. (Robert Frost, The Road Not Taken, 1916)

God called Paul to reach out to the Gentiles and the road that led to that ministry needed a pioneer. The Apostle Paul was the pioneer whom God used to blaze the trial and open the door for the Gentiles, who had lived in the darkness of their pagan ways, to come to know the salvation of Jesus Christ.

We all love the stories of great trail blazers. People like Lewis and Clark who opened up the West, Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, and Bill Gates and Steve Jobs who continue to blaze new trails in the computer industry. We love to hear their stories, their great moments of breakthrough and victory, but we oftentimes miss the struggle that each and every one of them had to endure.

In my mind there is no story more epic in nature than the story of the Apostle Paul. Paul’s life was more than movie worthy. There were transitional moments that were sure signs that life would never be the same for Paul again after what he had just experienced. Life changing transitions like when Paul was on his way to arrest the followers of Jesus and ended up becoming one of them on the road to Damascus. There were painful times like when he and his friend Barnabas decided to go their separate ways. There were heart-wrenching episodes of Paul’s life that caused us to scratch our heads and wonder out loud, “How does this guy keep moving forward with all that is against him?” Paul wrote about some of the challenges he faced as he penned his letter to the church in Corinth. Paul was warning the people in Corinth about some of the leaders among them whose motives were questionable when he wrote these words.

23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my own countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. (2 Corinthians 11:23-28 NIV)

You don’t have to spend much time reading Luke’s account of Paul’s travels in the book of Acts or Paul’s letters to the churches to come to the conclusion that Paul was a man on a mission. It was a mission that he would describe as blessed beyond his wildest imagination, but at the same time it was excruciatingly demanding. In our Scripture for today we will see that Paul is not considering retirement, he is organizing his itinerary for what is to come. Read along with me from Romans 15:20-33.

20 It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation. 21 Rather, as it is written: “Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand.” 22 This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you. 23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to see you, 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain. I hope to visit you while passing through and to have you assist me on my journey there, after I have enjoyed your company for a while. 25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. 28 So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this fruit, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. 29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ. 30 I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. 31 Pray that I may be rescued from the unbelievers in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints there, 32 so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed. 33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen. (Romans 15:20-33 NIV)

There are some great lessons that we can glean from Paul at this point. I want you to notice something that we might easily miss if we rush too quickly through these verses. In Romans 15:20-21, Paul shares with the folks in Rome the focus of his missionary career. He says that he has always had a desire to go where others had not been to share the Gospel. He didn’t want to build on someone else’s foundation. Then, in verse 22, Paul says, 22 “This is why I have often been hindered from coming to you.” Paul wasn’t following his agenda, but he was following God’s. It would have been much easier for Paul to reach out to the Jews. After all, those were his people. Paul was a Jew.

When Paul met Jesus on the road to Damascus, Jesus set the course for Paul’s life. Paul was blinded and could not see as they led him into Damascus. God sent a man named Ananias to lay hands on Paul so that his sight would be restored, but Ananias was hesitant to go see Paul, knowing who he was and his hatred of Jesus’ followers. In Acts 9:15-16 we read,

15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to carry my name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” (Acts 9:15-16 NIV)

His course was set, his gaze and movement would be fixed upon the lands that God, in His Sovereignty, had chosen for him to visit so that he might share the Good News. Paul began his mission and traveled throughout the ancient Near East. Paul’s journey’s led him over into Macedonia where he visited Philippi, Thessalonica, Corinth, Berea, and Athens in spreading the Gospel.

Paul yearned to visit the folks in Rome. He had not planted the church, but had heard many positive things about the believers there as he had crossed paths with believers from Rome during his missionary travels. He wanted to visit them, but Paul was more focused on following God’s plan than he was on doing what he desired to do. Paul mentions his longing to visit Rome here in Romans 15, but this is not the first time he shared with them his desire to visit them. In the opening verses of his letter to the people of Rome, Paul wrote,

11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong– 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. (Romans 1:11-12 NIV)

There is a great lesson in this for us. It is so important for us to be faithful to the mission God has given us rather than be distracted by what we would prefer to do. It is so much easier to do what we want to do isn’t it? It is much easier to do what comes naturally, that which we “enjoy,” instead of being faithful to do what God has called us to do. My experience has taught me that if I will just be faithful to the work God has given me, then, in time, what God has for me will become my love, my passion, and my joy. Let me explain what I’m getting at by using Paul as an example.

I mentioned to you that God called Paul to go to the Gentiles. Do you really think he was excited about that news when it came to him? He couldn’t stand the Gentiles any more than Jonah could stand the Ninevites, but he went. Paul did what God had given him to do and he was faithful in doing it.

About six years after Paul set out on his first missionary journey he visited the predominantly Gentile city of Philippi and established a church there. The date was probably 56-57 A.D. There was opposition to Paul’s message. He was thrown into prison and eventually asked to leave town. (Acts 16) Paul was able to visit Philippi on one other occasion, on his third missionary journey. After his second visit to the city, Paul would never visit Philippi again, but he had fallen in love with the Gentiles there.

Sometime after his second visit, Paul was arrested once again. Bible teachers are not in agreement as to whether he was in prison in Rome or Ephesus, but either way he was in prison. While he was sitting in prison he had lots of time to think. The people of Philippi were on his heart and mind so Paul wrote them a letter. Listen to some of what he had to say. In Philippians 1:4-8, Paul writes of his deep love for the people of Philippi.

4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 1:4-8 NIV)

Throughout Paul’s letter to the people of Philippi you get the sense that these are some special people, that Paul has a deep love for them, and that he wants to encourage them to “keep on” in the Lord. Then, in the last section of his letter, Paul writes,

1 Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! (Philippians 4:1 NIV)

Paul not only developed a deep love for the Gentiles in Philippi, but he longed for them, they became his “joy.” What would Paul have missed if he would have allowed his discomfort with Gentiles to prevent him from traveling to Philippi? Think of all he would have missed. If all we did was what we wanted to do, what felt comfortable to us, then we would miss some of God’s richest blessings. I want to urge you to never resist God’s leading in your life. If you sense that God is leading you to get involved in some way that you have never been involved before then trust God, seek God’s leading, not your own comfort.

As I mentioned earlier, Paul expressed his desire to visit the people of Rome. He was planning on visiting them, but it would only be a stopover, a brief time of fellowship, because he was headed out to pioneer a new mission to Spain. Then, in verses 25-27, Paul lets them know that before he can go to his latest mission field he must go back to Jerusalem to deliver an offering to the impoverished believers in that city. Paul writes,

25 Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. 26 For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27 They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews’ spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. (Romans 15:25-27 NIV)

Paul’s trip to Jerusalem must have been very important to him because it was going to add about 2,000 miles to his trip. He could have left Corinth and sailed straight for Spain, but personally delivering the offering to the brothers and sister in Jerusalem was at the top of Paul’s priority list. How do you explain that? What was it that caused such urgency in Paul to get to Jerusalem even though it was so far out of his way? Well, I’m so glad you asked.

In 49 A.D., at the Jerusalem Council, there was an important meeting between Paul and the leaders of the Jewish believers in Jerusalem. Paul traveled to Jerusalem to speak up for the Gentile believers, to provide evidence that God was working among the Gentiles, and to state his case that it was unnecessary for the Gentiles to follow the Law of Moses. By the time the meeting was over the Jewish Christian leaders in Jerusalem opened their arms to the Gentiles and required them to follow only the most necessary parts of the Law. They sent a letter to be delivered to the Gentiles and part of it read,

28 It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: 29 You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell. (Acts 15:28-29 NIV)

Some time later, when Paul wrote to the church in Galatia, he was still battling the Judaizers who wanted the Gentile men to be circumcised and follow the Law. Paul said to them,

9 James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews. 10 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do. (Galatians 2:9-10 NIV)

Paul doesn’t mention the four things James, John, and Peter required of the Gentiles, but he includes something that Luke left out in Acts—“to remember the poor.” There has been a lot of debate about why Paul didn’t mention the four requirements and why he included something that wasn’t required. One Bible teacher I read this past week even went so far as to say that Paul lied to the folks in Galatia. I would hardly go that far.

The believers in Jerusalem were going through a tough time. We don’t know why there was such poverty among the followers of Jesus, but nonetheless they were struggling just to make ends meet. Surely this would have been something that was talked about while Paul was in Jerusalem. James, John, or Peter might have mentioned in passing how they needed help and for Paul to do what he could to help out. Whatever the scenario was it stuck with Paul.

During his travels Paul asked the churches to contribute to the needs of the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem. He mentions in Romans 15 that the believers in Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to give help. Paul had collected the offering and he was going to personally take it to the brothers and sisters in Jerusalem.

When you first hear the story of the offering for Jerusalem you might think that the financial help would be a big boost to the believers in Jerusalem. You would be right, but I can think of two ways that the offering would be an even greater help than mere financial assistance. First of all, when the believers in Jerusalem saw Paul bringing the offering from brothers and sisters from other places it would be a great encouragement that they were not alone, that others cared about their situation. Each and every one of us needs to know that we are not alone don’t we? Sure we do. Secondly, the offering from other believers, Gentile believers, would strengthen the unity of the whole Body of Christ—Jewish and Gentile believers. There was still tension among the Jewish believers and the Gentile believers even though both groups were followers of Jesus. It is tough to look down upon someone who is helping you. It is difficult to hold on to old stereotypes of others when they are standing with you in your struggle.

Alongside of this is the fact that the believers in Macedonia who gave so willingly to help out their impoverished brothers and sisters in Jerusalem had their own struggles. They were poor themselves. Paul writes about them in his letter to the church in Corinth.

1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. (2 Corinthians 8:1-4 NIV)

What a testimony! Out of their own poverty and extreme trial the folks in Macedonia were enthusiastic to help others in need. Does that describe you and me? When we are going through trials do we become introspective, worry only about us, or in the midst of our trials do we seek out opportunities to help others who are struggling as well?

Before we get out of here today I want to share one more important lesson for us to consider. In verse 29 Paul says that he has confidence that when he does get to Rome he will come “in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.” Read Romans 15:29 with me.

29 I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ. (Romans 15:29 NIV)

How could Paul be confident that he would be blessed to overflowing in his trip to Rome? What does it mean to live a blessed life? Is it something similar to the “health, wealth, and prosperity gospel” that we have heard about for the last several years? You know the teaching right? God wants to bless you and His blessings consist of the best things in life—big homes, fancy cars, and a pocket-full of cash. I’ve got news for you. That type of teaching was the furthest thing from Paul’s mind.

The blessing is walking in obedience to God’s call and purpose for your life. Paul had his sights set on doing only what God had for him to do. Paul’s message was what God had done and was continuing to do through the life, death, and glorious resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ. Paul walked where God called him to walk, he did what God would have him to do, and he sought only the glory of God in his faithful obedience. Listen to these verses and see if you draw the same conclusion.

22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:22-24 NIV)

1 When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. 2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. (1 Corinthians 2:1-2 NIV)

14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. (Galatians 6:14 NIV)

When Paul was arrested for the last time and it was evident to him that he had reached the end of his life. He wrote these words.

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day–and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. (2 Timothy 4:7-8 NIV)

Paul lived a blessed life, not a charmed life, not an easy life, not a carefree life, but a blessed life. He was blessed to be called by God from darkness to life. He was blessed to be given the opportunity to live his life for the glory of God. He was blessed to carry the message of the Cross to those who had not heard the Good News of Jesus Christ. He was blessed to suffer for Christ. Paul lived a blessed life, a life of obedience and faithfulness, and therefore wherever he went he went with the confidence of knowing that he went with the full measure of the blessing of His glorious Savior. What a challenge, what an inspiration, for you and me!

I want you to know that the blessing is in the struggle. The blessing is not in living a life free from sorrow, struggle, opposition, or discouragement. The blessing is in the struggle. If we will set our sights on living in obedience to God’s Word, to being faithful to what He teaches us in His Word, and doing what He has called us to do throughout our lives we will be blessed. I want to urge you this morning to surrender your life to Jesus Christ and let the journey begin.

Mike Hays
Britton Christian Church
922 NW 91st
OKC, OK. 73114
June 6, 2010
bccpreacherman@aol.com